Groff Park, Amherst MA

Located just off Rt. 116 in Amherst, Groff Park is a great destination in good weather. A large parking lot is mostly sunny, but if you don't mind crossing the lot, there are shady spots near the baseball field. The park boasts many tall beautiful trees, picnic areas with seating, including a pavillion. At the top of the hill, a decent playground and nice set of swings are near the restrooms, newly constructed a couple of years ago. They are not disgusting, though I've rarely seen toilet paper there. A wading pool with fountain is fenced in. The pool is open for a short season - essentially July and August. The pool might be closed on any given day due to lightening, bacteria levels in the water, lack of lackadaisical teenage lifeguard, or some such. You should not psych your kids up for it unless you call to confirm that it's open. A sandbox and small climbing area at the bottom of the hill are very inviting. A shallow river (Fort River) flows by the park and is followed by a sandy path, so a nature walk is included along with the rest of the features here.

Amherst Wading Pool Schedule
A Review of the Trail at Groff Park

Eric Carle Museum, Amherst, MA

On the grounds of Hampshire college sits this unusual building with it's enormous windows and gnarled apple trees studding the lawn.
There are several areas inside to explore. The staff and volunteers at the museum are very friendly and knowledgeable.
In the art room, children are invited to do a project. They can also choose to color on a papered table. If they are not interested in, or too young for, the project, they can play with a variety of toys in an attractive play area.
In the library, board books, toys and puzzles are available for play. Thousands more picture books line the shelves.

The gallery has some great exhibits, but we usually skip it. It is best seen with a 1:1 child-parent ratio.
The cafeteria is a large sunny room equipped with high chairs. There is no longer any food served there, but there are several vending machines with drinks, snacks, and lunchy items from Atkins Farms. I'm sure the food is good, but it's also quite expensive.
The movie theatre is well appointed. We have seen a couple of shows there.
The gift shop looks lovely, but I've been telling my children for years that it is off-limits to children. I've never really looked around.
The outdoor space is beautiful and we always spend time out there when the weather is nice.
The restrooms are immaculate, cute, and each has a child size potty. Best restrooms ever.
Parking is copious, but there is no shade in the lot.

Eric Carle Museum

UMass Duck Pond, Amherst, MA

Kids find a lot of things fascinating when walking through UMass Amherst. The dramatic architecture of the Fine Arts Center, the W.E.B. Dubois Library, the sidewalks, installation art, etc.
Throwing stale bread to the ducks is just the icing on the cake. You can also go into the library and take a LOOOOOONG elevator ride.

Exploring the campus on foot, especially if you did not attend UMass or grow up near it, is pretty cool. It's a large place when you are walking, and the conglomeration of landscaped pockets, handicapped access ramps, lawns and roads and sidewalks, make for visual interest and a feeling of discovery.

Sometimes I participate in psychology experiments at Tobin Hall at UMass - the kids do anyways. You don't get paid, but you get to park in the heart of the campus and it's usually fun for the children. They get a little toy at the end.

So, best bets for parking, in my opinion, are free spots on town streets adjacent to campus. That's a bit of a walk. There are metered spots in the U shaped drive in front of the Fine Arts Center. I'm a paranoid parker - always convinced I'll get a parking ticket, which I have already dedicated thousands of dollars to paying. Thousands.

Sunwheel, UMass, Amherst, MA

I accessed this spot from Amity street, but I believe you are also able to use the UMass Stadium entrance.
We were there on a sunny day, which I recommend since it dramatizes the rocks/sculptures/icons. The kids had a blast running around here, and spent a long time in the meadow of wildflowers just outside of the mowed circle that surrounds the monument.
The meadow and a small bridge create the sense of being in a park - a defined area. I liked this. We spent about an hour here. That's probably the upper limit of entertainment here, except maybe older kids who were more interested in the meaning of the Sunwheel. Or if you picnicked.

Sunwheel Website

Make a sunwheel at home

Astronomy and Spirituality

Mt. Pollux, Amherst, MA

Update: How to Find It

OK. A couple of things. There are two roads, easily confused. One is called Mt Pollux and is NOT the street that leads to the parking area - it's a dead end and signed as such. If you were coming from South Amherst Common you would pass it first and continue 3/10 of a mile down the road to Mt. Pollux itself. Coming from Bay road, if you see the dead end you've already passed the entrance. Adjacent to the drive up to the parking area is a yellow house with a red metal roof. The street looks like it could be the driveway to this house, but of course keeps going. If you have not reached the parking area in about 20 seconds you are on the wrong street. There is only room for one car and tall grasses line the road and mid summer almost choke it.
Hope that helps!

Original Post:
Just off SouthEast St. in Amherst is a small road leading up a hill to a parking area with half a dozen spots. Leading up the hill is a path through a meadow (home to small yellow butterflies in number). At the top of the hill you have a 360 degree view of trees, mountains, and steeples. Several enormous shade trees and a few benches make this a divine picnic spot.

The Amateur Astronomers Association meets here.

Also,
Paneurhythmy - Meditative movement set to sacred music every Saturday, Sunday and holiday at 8 a.m., Mt. Pollux, South East St., Amherst. Free. 253-0628 or 549-1112.

Earth Week 2009, Western Massachusetts

I'll continue to add events that look good, as I find them.

At the Notch - (April 20) This is one that I'll definitely attend with the kids. I have always been pleased with nature programs here. (my post)

Review: We had a good time at this event. The leader, Ginny, was very welcoming and very prepared. The group was larger than usual and all the kids were excited about the program. Children searched for signs of spring and collected loose treasures in clear boxes that were provided.

At UMass - (April 22) Sounds like fun, with a petting zoo and other attractions. Parking might be hairy - but on a nice day, park in downtown Amherst and walk.

Review: We attended this event and found it fun. A collaborative painting on big planks of wood was set up, my kids rather liked the bubble machine, there was live music and free tea. This event could possibly have been a little better organized, (the main thing being that there was no petting zoo as promised...)

In Belchertown - (April 22) The Conservation Commission will be hosting a Nature Walk of Piper Farm on Earth Day.
Article in: http://www.belchertown-news.com/

In Belchertown - (April 25) Earth Day Celebration at the Clapp Library, 11-1. Sponsored by the Belchertown High School L.E.A.F. Club (Local Environmental Action Club)

At the Springfield Quadrangle - (April 19) Earth Day Festival. We attended last year and had LOTS of fun casting a fishing line, making paper, eating free ice cream, dancing to live music, and much more. (my post)

Review: We arrived around 12:30 and were able to enjoy the all of the above exhibits and activities, as well as visit the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum to make an elephant puppet (one kid), visit the Science Museum (the other kid). They do a great job on this event.

At Mt. Tom - (April 22) Earth Day for Families. Two times with different activities/age groups at each one. (my post)

Mill River Recreation Area, Amherst, MA

The Mill River complex is home to a pool, a wading pool, a playground, pavillion, and access to the Julius Lester Trail.

The wading pool is a tad deeper than the others in Amherst, which is nice for budding swimmers. The fountain is more of a spout and not very exciting.

There is a toddler playground area, including baby swings, and a newer structure for the bigger ones, pictured above.

Amherst Pool Schedule

Hitchcock Center, Amherst, MA

Near the Larch Hill Reservation and the Bramble Hill Farm, this low brown building houses a gem of a nature center. Not only a great selection of books for browsing (borrowing if you are a member), but a live turle, goldfish, stick bugs, madagascar hissing cockroaches, millipedes, and more. Stuffed (as in, taxidermically) animals surround you, animal-themed puzzled, puppets and toys abound. There's a clean restroom there. It is a small space. The storytime at 11 on Tuesdays is fantastic and includes a nature walk. The walk is usually well under one mile and geared toward the group on any particular day. It is guided and the children are engaged in nature study- finding tracks, buds or birds' nests.
Hitchcock Center
Hitchcock Center History

Bramble Hill Farm

Julius Lester Trail, Amherst, MA

This walk begins in the wooden area adjacent to Mill River's baseball fields. The trail leads you over charming wooden bridges and along the edge of the river. We paused our walk at Puffer's Pond for lunch, then returned the way we had come. There is a path that leads around the pond, but our guys didn't have the stamina.


You do have to cross a road on this walk - it is pretty clear up ahead but it's something to be aware of. Upon reaching the road, cross the bridge, then cross the road, then continue up a paved path to pick up the trail to the pond. The blazes are yellow diamonds.

Fort River Playground, Amherst, MA

This is a three-for-one deal. A toddler area, a brand new (2 years) play structure, and an "older kids" section which resembles a classic jungle gym with more advanced climbing play.
There are restrooms. I've never been in, but my husband says they are ok.
Parking is free.
You may only visit this playground OFF school hours/in the summer. It's a liability for a public school to have your kids playing on the property during school hours, so you will most likely be asked to leave.
There are some shade trees close to the building, and a few shady spots in the parking lot, but especially at the main kids playground, it will be quite sunny.

The school is located at the corner of South East St. and Main St. in Amherst.

Museum of Natural History, Amherst College, Amherst, MA

I don't have a complete review because I sat in a side hallway with 8 day old baby boy the whole time. What I saw from the entrance to my spot was impressive. My husband and kids had a great time. We are looking forward to visiting again.
The parking situation is not great. I would use downtown Amherst metered parking or street parking, especially during the school year when the Amherst College lots are full.

Amherst College Museum of Natural History

Campus Map

War Memorial Park, Amherst, MA

This park is adjacent to the Amherst Regional High School and has proximity to downtown Amherst. You can park on the long drive that leads from the High School to Triangle St. You can also park in the school lot during the summer months.
The playground portion of this park is not wonderful. One very small structure is new, and dinosaur shaped. The rest of the equipment, a couple of slides and a jungle gym, is outdated. There are swingsets that include baby swings.
The wading pool has a fountain and is fenced in. It is best to call ahead because the pool is often closed due to high bacteria count, lightening, or other problems such as repairs to be made.
The phone number for the Mill River Pool (brain center of the Amherst Pool system) is 549-6875.

There is a full size pool in this park also, with proper locker rooms. You may use the restrooms in the locker room as long as they are open.

You may also purchase ice creams and a few other snack items from the commissary at the window where you pay admission to the regular sized pool.

In the summer, day camps use this pool all day long and play in the playground also. They do not go into the wading pool area, but the playground is crawling with them.

Amherst Pool Schedule

Mullins Center Ice Skating Rink, Amherst, MA

When the schedule mentions that skate times are subject to change, they mean it.

Mullins Center Rink Schedule

Phone #: 413 545 3990

Amethyst Brook Conservation Area, Amherst, MA

Parking is ample at the entrance to the trail. This is a walk filled with dogs, so be prepared for that. You will first encounter a wide lane, leading to a field, which borders the wooded area. You will arrive at the brook immediately upon entering the trees. There is a sturdy wooden bridge crossing the stream. It is neither deep nor fast, though in the spring might not be safe for a two year old. If your kids are like mine, you can then park yourself on a rock and drink your coffee while they throw rocks in the water. Have them wear their crocs/water shoes. When/If they tire of this activity, you can wander a number of little trails that all lead basically to the same area. You can't get lost. There are some smaller streams snaking through the woods that the kids have enjoyed bridging with branches and damming up with mud and rocks. Under the trees it is very shady, so early and late in the season it can be chillier than you thought.

Amethyst Brook

Bramble Hill Farm, Amherst, MA

This is an educational farm with many buildings on a rolling landscape. The buildings, land, and animals are well cared for. We've always accessed the property via the Larch Hill Trails by the Hitchcock Center, but there's an entrance by car off of 116.

From the Bramble Hill Farm Website:

The Farm shares a border with The Hitchcock Center (an Environmental Education Center) and the Common School ( a private K – 6 elementary school with a curriculum based on “in-depth studies and experiential learning”). Amherst College maintains several hundred acres of pasture land across Rt. 116 from the Farm, and the Town Conservation Commission maintains land along another Border. In 2004 the Larch Hill Collaborative was formed, with Bramble Hill Farm at the center, to bring these entities together into a working group around shared concerns for the sustainability of the land and the ecosystems which form the core of all of our individual work. The Farm welcomes projects and classes from The Hitchcock Center, The Common School, and other groups interested in learning about and creating from its’ diverse resources.

Bramble Hill Farm

Notch Visitor Center, Amherst, MA

First, you'll find ample and convenient parking at the bottom of a long stairway. At the top you may head directly to the trail or into the Visitor Center. I have mixed feelings about this place. One thing that helps is when it's actually open- you can't count on it. The restrooms are functional at best, but several times they didn't even pass that test. When the main area is open to the public, it is a fun place to spend about 20 minutes with the kids. They have many bird specimens, and even a dinosaur footprint. The staff, when there, are friendly.
During the summer, Ranger Rich offers a WONDERFUL program on Saturday mornings. Each week has a theme which encompasses a story, an art project, and hands-on nature work, such as finding a pill bug and examining it under a magnifying glass, or taking a walk to discover birds' nests.
My favorite thing to do here is walk a short trail with the kids. At .75 miles, even a two year old can handle this hike. It is a short loop- no arguments about when to turn around, and the blazes are close together and easy to follow - good for teaching your kids about following them.

Jones Library, Amherst, MA

The Jones is a wonderful library with a cozy and fun children's room. There is a story time on Thursday mornings at 10:30. Storytime is held in an adjacent room, which can be nice if you have several children and they can't all sit for a story. There is a very convenient restroom steps away from the main play area. It's very well equipped for changing diapers. This is the library of my childhood, so I admit bias.
In the basement of the building there is a large room for special events. One event I attended (travelling zoo) was so crowded we left. Another event (kids' pop band) was a lot of fun.
There are a few spaces on the street directly in front of the building, but you will probably end up parking in the lot across the street, at a meter. There is a crosswalk.

Jones Library