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100 ideas near “Portland, ME”
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Let's be scientists! Watch as we mix household ingredients to make a big billowing foam, big enough for an elephant's tooth brush!
A programme at Portland Public Library.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Let's gather in Maddy's Theatre for a group puppet show that you help create. Choose a winter animal to bring to life and create a character. Will your animal search for food or find a cozy spot to hibernate? Does your animal like the snow or fly to warmer climates?
Be a scientist! Explore a tidepool and sandflat habitat through sensory exploration and meet animals such as sea stars and sea anemones that call these habitats home. Thank you to L.L.Bean for their support of this program and their ongoing commitment to CMTM’s Nature Education initiatives.
Calling all makers and builders! Learn the basics of safe tool use during this 45-minute opportunity to try a hand tool. Adult supervision is required. MakerSpace will be open for free-choice making for all ages from 2:45-3:30.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Come by the Teen Library every 2nd Tuesday of the month to ask questions or get information you need from our partners at Blunt Youth!
These are relaxed beginner birding programs that travel along flat routes with frequent stops. There will be seats available along the route. September programs will take place on gravel and grass paths around our Visitor Center, and focus on watching birds at the feeders. October and November programs will use the newly-constructed All Persons Trail through forest and meadow. There will be instructions for using binoculars (provided), and tips for birding by ear. Accessible bathrooms are located inside the Visitor Center, and there will be van-accessible parking close to the building. Register to receive pre-program information on routes and trail conditions. Please reach out to Field Naturalist Stacia Brezinski with questions or concerns: sbrezinski@maineaudubon.org. Wednesday mornings 8–9:30 am: 9/30, 11/11 Saturday mornings 9–11 am: 10/24*, 11/28 *Registration encouraged* (registrants will get updates about trail conditions and cancellations) Maine Audubon strives to provide inclusive and accessible programs for all members of the community. If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please email events@maineaudubon.org. Maine Audubon can best meet the needs
Help finish a large work of art using a paint-by-number guide.What will the finished picture be?! Free-choice materials for making are available.
What is the difference between a hawk and a falcon? Do vultures live in Maine? Meet live ambassador birds from the Center for Wildlife and use hands-on materials to explore birds of prey found in the land we now call Maine. Thank you to L.L.Bean for their support of this program and their ongoing commitment to CMTM’s Nature Education initiatives.
Step into a winter wonderland of sounds! In Maddy’s Theatre, your voice, movements, and imaginations come together to create a lively seasonal soundscape in this fun, fast-paced, and interactive theatre experience. What will winter sound like? You get to decide! Pop-up Performances (PUPS) are informal and interactive programs that are held in the theatre, run for 20 minutes or less, and are included with Museum admission. All ages are welcome and encouraged!
Whether you are meeting a dog for the first time or own a dog yourself, all are welcome to greet our friendly four-legged therapy dog friends. Come hang out, read a book, sing a song, or explore dog training with a certified therapy dog and its caregiver. Therapy dogs will be visiting with a trained adult in the 3rd floor IDEXX STEM Learning Hub and would love to say "hi" to you if you wish. Thank you to IDEXX for supporting the Therapy Dog program at CMTM.
Join us to learn about: the value of free-flowing streams; the regulations that are applicable when working on road/stream crossings; the principles of building Stream Smart crossings; the costs and benefits of Stream Smart crossings; and where to look for funding. We will be in the classroom from 8:30 am-12:30 pm. Maine Audubon works with partners all across the state to provide training on how to construct culverts and bridges that restore and maintain fish and wildlife habitat while also protecting roads and public safety. Maine Audubon offers introductory workshops as well as hands-on field trainings for road professionals. When: Thursday, November 12, 8:30 am-12:30 pm Where: Ellsworth VFW 419 Main St, Ellsworth, ME 04605
Discover our Science for Tots series! This weekly program is designed for children ages 1–5 and their caregivers. Explore science, engineering, math, and the environment through fun, interactive sensory play—while making new friends along the way! Thank you to L.L.Bean and Bissell Brothers Brewing Company for their support of the Science for Tots program.
Join the Fields Pond Audubon Center Homeschool Naturalists for an exciting, hands-on adventure as we dive into a new autumnal subject each session. Join us this fall to make lasting connections with fellow homeschoolers—all while having a blast outdoors. Designed for children ages 6-14, this engaging series will start as a whole mixed age group, then break into age based investigation teams to dive deeper into that week's theme! Each session combines outdoor exploration, guided hiking, and nature journaling/crafts to deepen your connection with the natural world. Drop-ins are welcome! Please call ahead to ensure space availability. Sep 17, Oct 1, Oct 15, Oct 29, Nov 12, Dec 3 10 am-12 pm $80 for 6 sessions member, $95 nonmember $18 walkup (same rate member/nonmember) Maine Audubon strives to provide inclusive and accessible programs for all members of the community. If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please email events@maineaudubon.org. Maine Audubon can best meet the needs of requests submitted at least seven days before the event start date.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Join us for a special dinosaur themed edition of our Thursday Family Storytime! Family Storytime is a drop-in program for children and their caregivers. Play and sing along while learning about new books, songs, fingerplays, and stories from our librarians. Together we will roar and sing, stomp and read! If you are interested in Storytime programs for more specific ages, look for our Baby Storytime and Preschool Storytime series.
Join us at the Teen Library on Thursday and Friday afternoons to play video games our new PS5. Games start at 2 PM both days and are available until the library closes. We have the following videogames to choose from: - FC26 - 2K26 - Untitled Goose Game - NARUTO X BORUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS - Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero - Mortal Kombat 11 - Street Fighter 6. Teen Video Games are first-come, first-served. Reservations are not taken in advance. Each player gets a half-hour time slot, which may be used alone or shared with a friend for multiplayer games.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Let's be scientists! Watch as we mix household ingredients to make a big billowing foam, big enough for an elephant's tooth brush!
Are you getting the sneaking suspicion that birds are incredible? Or have you known and want a way to learn more? On these beginner walks, we'll observe birds in the woods, meadows, marsh, and at the feeders at Gilsland Farm. Our naturalist will answer questions and make identification less overwhelming to new birders. Binoculars (and tips for using them) will be available. Tuesday evenings 5:30-7 pm: 9/1 Tuesday mornings 8-9:30 am: 9/29, 10/27, 11/24 Friday mornings 8-9:30 am: 9/25, 10/16, 11/13 *Registration encouraged* (registrants will get updates about trail conditions and cancellations) Maine Audubon strives to provide inclusive and accessible programs for all members of the community. If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please email events@maineaudubon.org. Maine Audubon can best meet the needs of requests submitted at least seven days before the event start date.
Drop-ins are welcome! Come join the fun at Fields Pond for our Weekly Preschool Nature Hour! Each Friday, from 9:30–10:30 am, young children ones and their grown-ups will dive into nature adventures full of stories, art, STEM activities, and outdoor play! Designed for ages 2–5, this series will spark curiosity, nurture a love for the outdoors, and help kids discover how we can protect our planet—all while having tons of fun! Register for the entire session, $80 for 8 sessions member, $96 for 8 sessions nonmember. Drop in $15 (member or not). Drop-ins are welcome! Please call ahead to ensure space availability. Fridays: Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov 6, 13, 20 Maine Audubon strives to provide inclusive and accessible programs for all members of the community. If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please email events@maineaudubon.org. Maine Audubon can best meet the needs of requests submitted at least seven days before the event start date.
In this creative drama experience for our youngest audiences and their families, journey to exciting places through storytelling, song, and imaginative play—without ever leaving the theatre. Together, we’ll transform Maddy’s Theatre into familiar and fantastic environments through interactive exploration. Designed for children ages 1-5 and their caregivers, this offering helps build confidence in imagining, pretending, and creating together.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Baby Stories & Play is a weekly series for babies birth to 24-months and their caregivers. Join us for baby-friendly songs, rhymes, and movement that incorporate the elements of early literacy! We will follow storytime with open play for sensory exploration and social fun. Families can make connections with library friends and build a foundation for lifelong reading!
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Join Marine Mammals of Maine (MMoME) as we explore the different kinds of seals that can be seen in Maine. Learn about seal behavior, how to safely share the shore with these animals, and participate in a mock-seal response with the MMoME team!
Join us at the Teen Library on Thursday and Friday afternoons to play video games our new PS5. Games start at 2 PM both days and are available until the library closes. We have the following videogames to choose from: - FC26 - 2K26 - Untitled Goose Game - NARUTO X BORUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS - Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero - Mortal Kombat 11 - Street Fighter 6. Teen Video Games are first-come, first-served. Reservations are not taken in advance. Each player gets a half-hour time slot, which may be used alone or shared with a friend for multiplayer games.
Embark on an imaginative birdwatching adventure throughout the aquarium! Search high and low for bird figures hiding in unexpected places, and check off each bird you spot along the way. Thank you to L.L.Bean for their support of this program and their ongoing commitment to CMTM’s Nature Education initiatives.
Stop by the Riverton Branch to learn about Maine mammals! Maine Master Naturalists Cordelia Hill, Tyler Kidder and Laura Lewis will be hosting some interactive drop-in activities to help us learn all about some of the mammals we share our state with. Visitors can expect to learn about Maine mammal tracks, signs, fun facts and habitat information. Note: educational materials for this event are designed for children, but all ages welcome. This is a drop in event and no registration is required.
Let’s make and then make some more! Investigate the materials cubbies and bins for fun materials. Let’s spend the beginning of the winter season making and creating art together.
Join us for dinosaur themed play and social time in the Children's Library. We will have special dinosaur themed toys and books available for this casual, drop-in style program. Dinosaur Playdate is designed for ages 0-5. Parents and caregivers are invited to play with their children and visit with other families. Dinosaur Playdate takes place on three Saturdays during the run of the exhibit: - Saturday, October 24 - Saturday, November 14 - Saturday, December 19 All Dinosaur programming in the Children's Library from October-December 2026 coincides with the Illustration Exhibit in the Lewis Gallery at the Downtown Branch.
Let's be scientists! Watch as we mix household ingredients to make a big billowing foam, big enough for an elephant's tooth brush!
Let’s make and then make some more! Investigate the materials cubbies and bins for fun materials. Let’s spend the beginning of the winter season making and creating art together.
Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a wish in her heart, who longs to live a different life.Written and illustrated by New York Times best-selling author, Matt Tavares. Matt has created more than twenty other books, including Red & Lulu and Zachary’s Ball and the New York Times best-selling Dasher series, which has been translated into eight languages.
Let's be scientists! Watch as we mix household ingredients to make a big billowing foam, big enough for an elephant's tooth brush!
A programme at Portland Public Library.
For 3 days only, visit Maine Audubon in Falmouth when we’ll feature the lowest prices of the year on bird food plus all optics by Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon and Vortex will be 15% off this weekend only. Maine Audubon members will also get 20% off on all other store items. On Saturday, November 14 at 10 am, join us for a bird walk led by Doug Hitchcox and Swarovski Field Tech, and Maine author Christi Elliott. After the walk, come check out presentations on choosing the right optics, and an introduction to digiscoping. Swarovski Optik reps will be here with a wide range of binoculars and spotting scopes to test out, including the new AT Endura spotting scope - the lightest in its class. No registration necessary!
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a wish in her heart, who longs to live a different life.Written and illustrated by New York Times best-selling author, Matt Tavares. Matt has created more than twenty other books, including Red & Lulu and Zachary’s Ball and the New York Times best-selling Dasher series, which has been translated into eight languages.
Be a scientist! Explore a tidepool and sandflat habitat through sensory exploration and meet animals such as sea stars and sea anemones that call these habitats home. Thank you to L.L.Bean for their support of this program and their ongoing commitment to CMTM’s Nature Education initiatives.
Calling all makers and builders! Learn the basics of safe tool use during this 45-minute opportunity to try a hand tool. Adult supervision is required. MakerSpace will be open for free-choice making for all ages from 2:45-3:30.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Families are invited to stop by the Children's Library for this special dinosaur craft. We will make and use salt dough to create dinosaur footprints and fossils that you can take home with you. This program is designed for children 0-5 but all children are welcome. All Dinosaur programming in the Children's Library from October-December 2026 coincides with the Illustration Exhibit in the Lewis Gallery at the Downtown Branch.
Explore Gilsland Farm with our Field Naturalist. We’ll stop for birds, bugs, fungi, plants, and anything else that piques our curiosity. These walks are for those folks who make terrible hiking partners. You’re in good company here! Participants will have opportunities to contribute observations to ongoing community science projects through iNaturalist. Binoculars and hand lenses will be available to borrow. 8-9:30 am Every other Wednesday FREE, *Registration requested* (registrants will get updates about trail conditions and cancellations) Maine Audubon strives to provide inclusive and accessible programs for all members of the community. If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please email events@maineaudubon.org. Maine Audubon can best meet the needs of requests submitted at least seven days before the event start date.
Explore, create, and collaborate during this drop-in class for children ages 1-5 and their caregivers. Each week, experiment with different art supplies and projects. Please plan for a messy but fun morning; aprons will be provided. Thank you Hancock Lumber and The Little Gym of Scarborough for their support of the Art for Tots program.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Using cardboard and accessories, build a replica gingerbread house to take home or add to the gingerbread village in MakerSpace. Free-choice materials for making are available.
Just like Dasher the reindeer, let’s imagine being brave as we explore new places. Wish on the North Star and travel all the way to the North Pole. Who will we meet along the way? Inspired by the book, Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever. Pop-up Performances (PUPS) are informal and interactive programs that are held in the theatre, run for 20 minutes or less, and are included with Museum admission. All ages are welcome and encouraged!
Embark on an imaginative birdwatching adventure throughout the aquarium! Search high and low for bird figures hiding in unexpected places, and check off each bird you spot along the way. Thank you to L.L.Bean for their support of this program and their ongoing commitment to CMTM’s Nature Education initiatives.
Art Room is a weekly drop in program for children and caregivers. Explore open-ended materials for free choice art making. The emphasis is on the fun of creating, especially alongside library friends!
Join us for a weekly bird walk at Gilsland Farm, led by Maine Audubon's Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox and others. Meet in the parking lot in front of the Visitor Center at 7 am, and we'll begin a slow walk around the property to look and listen for birds from within the sanctuary's diverse habitats. Free, no registration required. The walk typically covers between 1 to 2 miles (1.5 - 3 km). Waterproof shoes are recommended as the paths can be damp with dew in the mornings and icy when frozen. Please bring your binoculars, but we do have extra pairs if you need them, just ask the walk leader when you arrive. A list of recent sightings from Gilsland Farm can be found here: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L251783 Maine Audubon strives to provide inclusive and accessible programs for all members of the community. If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please email events@maineaudubon.org. Maine Audubon can best meet the needs of requests submitted at least seven days before the event start date.
Using cardboard and accessories, build a replica gingerbread house to take home or add to the gingerbread village in MakerSpace. Free-choice materials for making are available.
Discover our Science for Tots series! This weekly program is designed for children ages 1–5 and their caregivers. Explore science, engineering, math, and the environment through fun, interactive sensory play—while making new friends along the way! Thank you to L.L.Bean and Bissell Brothers Brewing Company for their support of the Science for Tots program.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Join us at the Teen Library on Thursday and Friday afternoons to play video games our new PS5. Games start at 2 PM both days and are available until the library closes. We have the following videogames to choose from: - FC26 - 2K26 - Untitled Goose Game - NARUTO X BORUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS - Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero - Mortal Kombat 11 - Street Fighter 6. Teen Video Games are first-come, first-served. Reservations are not taken in advance. Each player gets a half-hour time slot, which may be used alone or shared with a friend for multiplayer games.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Teen Button Club takes place the third Thursday of every month.
Let's be scientists! Watch as we mix household ingredients to make a big billowing foam, big enough for an elephant's tooth brush!
Join us for a special edition of our Tween Graphic Novel Club with guest David Bruggink, a local author and illustrator of Pia in the Forest. David will talk about making his new graphic novel, answer kids’ questions about writing and illustrating, and lead everyone in drawing instruction and games. Participants will get their own copy of Pia in the Forest to take home. Registration for this event is required and space is limited to 10 participants. Recommended for youth ages 8-13.
Using cardboard and accessories, build a replica gingerbread house to take home or add to the gingerbread village in MakerSpace. Free-choice materials for making are available.
In this creative drama experience for our youngest audiences and their families, journey to exciting places through storytelling, song, and imaginative play—without ever leaving the theatre. Together, we’ll transform Maddy’s Theatre into familiar and fantastic environments through interactive exploration. Designed for children ages 1-5 and their caregivers, this offering helps build confidence in imagining, pretending, and creating together.
A programme at Portland Public Library.
Baby Stories & Play is a weekly series for babies birth to 24-months and their caregivers. Join us for baby-friendly songs, rhymes, and movement that incorporate the elements of early literacy! We will follow storytime with open play for sensory exploration and social fun. Families can make connections with library friends and build a foundation for lifelong reading!
Portland is Maine's largest city, on Casco Bay, with the Old Port's cobbles and the Portland Head Light on the cape. The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine on the waterfront, the Maine Narrow Gauge railroad and the Eastern Promenade are the family fixtures; the lobster rolls need no introduction. Portland Public Library is on Monument Square.
Holiday events for kids in Portland, 2026: tree lightings, light displays, Santa visits and gingerbread workshops, day by day.
58 children’s events are on in Portland in the next seven days, read every night from the calendars of Portland Public Library (4 branches, 248 upcoming programmes), plus Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine, Children's Museum of Maine, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center, Maine Audubon and Presumpscot River Preserve. Library programmes are free. Museum and zoo events say “admission may apply”; check the venue for prices.
37 places to collect. Tap “I'm here” when you're at one and the stamp goes in your book; collect 5 and print the certificate.
Stamps live on your phone. Open your passport to see them all, print the certificate, or save them to your email.
Yes and no. Every event, time, address and link is open to anyone. An account only lets you save outings you plan to go to.
Each library and venue calendar is re-read every night, so a cancelled storytime disappears within a day. Times are shown in Portland’s own time zone.
Babies and toddlers, preschoolers, early grades, tweens and teens. Pick an age range above to narrow the list; leave them all off to see everything.