Roaring Brook Nature Center's “SUMMER 2013” Discovery Programs offer your child a unique blend of education and recreation that takes advantage of the curiosity and sense of wonder that all children feel toward the natural world.  

This summer's program offerings include activities for pre-schoolers through students entering grade 8. Grade levels are those your child will enter in the fall. There is a $5 discount for each additional class a child attends.

Print and send in the registration form (registrations are not taken by telephone or email). Enrollment is limited; early registration is strongly recommended! Medical forms are due no later than June 1st. Click here for medical form. Call the Nature Center at 860.693.0263 for additional information. 

PAYMENT / REFUND POLICY: A $20 non-refundable deposit must accompany each class registration (amount of deposit is included in total class cost). Balance is due June 1 for all classes. For cancellations after June 8, balance will be refunded only if your child’s place can be filled from a waiting list.

SCHOLARSHIPS: Roaring Brook Nature Center is currently accepting applications for the Alison Gill and Beth Dal Negro summer program scholarships. A limited number of partial scholarships are available and will be awarded on the basis of need. Application deadline is May 24th. Please call the Nature Center for information at 860.693.0263.

CLASSES FILL QUICKLY - PLEASE CALL THE NATURE CENTER TO DETERMINE IF A CLASS HAS OPENINGS PRIOR TO MAILING/DROPPING OFF APPLICATION

Child must be four years old by January 1, 2014
OR have had one year of nursery school.

Limit: 12 students
Time: 9:15 - 11:45am
Members: $80.00   Nonmembers: $90.00

Participants should bring a snack daily (NO peanut products please)

Do You See What I See? ... August 5, 7, 9  (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Use your senses to uncover mysteries in the outdoors.

 

Members: $110.00 / Nonmembers: $125.00 (per program)
Monday - Thursday (except where noted)

Limit: 12 students
Time: 9:15 - 11:45am

Participants should bring a snack daily (NO peanut products please)

Mystery Animals ... June 25 - 28    Note: Tuesday - Friday program
What secretive "critters" live in our woods? Why don't we see them? Let's try to find some!

Bug, Bugs, Bugs! (NEW) ... July 1-3  Note: Three day program  (Mon - Wed)  
Explore the natural world and uncover the secrets of animls that live in our woodlands and our own backyards.
     Members: $80.00    Nonmembers: $90.00

Dirt Makes My Lunch ... July 8 -11        
Grab a handful of soil, find out what's in it!  Discover why animals depend upon it and why we need it.

Life Under a Log ... July 15 -18     
Is anybody home? Explore the mysteries that lurk beneath a forest log.  What secrets are hidden there?.

Butterfly Bonanza ... July 22 -25
Experience the magical journey from caterpillar to butterfly. What happens inside a "pupa?"  Can you say metamorphosis?

Teeth, Tails & Claws...July 29 - August 1
Why does a hummingbird have a beak like a straw and a possum a tail like a rope?  How do animal's adaptations help them survive?

Puddles and Ponds ... August 12 - 15   
Water, water everywhere - what does it do? Where does it go?  Who lives in it? Who needs it?

Each week offers a theme around which activities have been developed.
Programs include short hikes, games, stories, crafts and 
observations of animals kept at the Nature Center.

Participants should bring a snack daily (NO peanut products please)

  Limit 15 students
Time: 9 am - Noon

        Members $140.00 / Nonmembers: $155.00 per program.

Animal Babies ...June 24 - 28        
Find out how animals take care of their babies. Learn about the baby animals cared for at the Nature Center.         
         
The Bear Facts (NEW!) ... July 1, 2, 3, 5  
Note: 4-day program (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday)
Learn amazing animal facts.  We'll explore the facts while we tackle some enduring myths - do toads give you warts?  Do possums hang by their tails?
     Members: $110.00    Nonmembers: $125.00

Hit the Habitat Trail ... July 8 - 12  
Hike our various trails and compare and contrast habitats found in different areas.  What animals rely on these habitats? 

Water Days & Waterways... July 15 - 19 
Have fun exploring the brook and pond. Experiment with water - where does it come from and where does it go?

Fish, Frogs, and Pollywogs ... July 22 - 26   
Get your feet wet and find out about life in a pond.  Find out why pond creatures are so important to us.

The Unhuggables (NEW!) ... July 29 - August 2    
Meet the creatures that many people often fear, dislike or find repulsive.  Find out what makes these animals so fascinating.        

Journey to the Center of the Earth... August 5 - 9     
We won't find real dinosaurs, but we will discover rocks and roots, fossils and even furry creatures.  We'll also learn some secrets about the Earth.  

Summer Sun, Winter Wind ... August 12 - 16   
Observe the signs that ell us fall is on the way.  Learn about bird migration, how tadpoles become frogs and why the groundhog gets fat.

Nature Detectives ... August 19 - 23   
Who left these tracks?  What made that sound? Why does ice float? We live in a world of wonders, so let's explore and find answers to these questions. We will use our senses and skills to become Nature Detectives.

Programs for youngsters with a developing interest in the natural world
Participants should bring a snack daily (NO peanut products please) 

Limit: 15 students
Time: 9:00 am - Noon (except as noted below)
NOTE: Afternoon seesions are available certain weeks from 1- 4pm
Members: $140.00 / Nonmembers: $155.00 per program

It's A Hoot ... June 24 - 28 
Let's take to the skies to explore the lives of birds. From colorful songbirds to the silent predators of the night, over sixty bird species can be found in our woods.

Nature Arts ... July 1, 2, 3, 5
Note: 4-day program (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday)
Designed to help students interpret what they see in the natural world in an artful way.  Paint, draw, sculpt and more using as many natural materials as possible.
      Members: $110.00    Nonmembers: $125.00

Cold-Blooded Monsters ... July 8 - 12
From massive prehistoric species to bizarre animals found today, we'll take a closer look at extinct, weird and rare reptiles, amphibians and insects from around the world.

Indian Woods Wisdom... July 15 - 19
Afternoon Session Available 1:00 - 4:00pm  
Help set up camp in the woods following ancient Indian methods and traditions of concern for the natural world.  Experience animal tracking, native crafts and shelter building.

Invisible World (NEW!)...  July 22 - 26 
Much of nature is but a speck or even invisible to the naked eye.  Use hand lens and micorscope to unlock this invisible kingdom and learn why it is so important.     

The Water World ...July 29 - August 2     
Afternoon Session 1:00 - 4:00pm    
Water lovers will enjoy wading across streams and along pond banks in search of their favorite aquatic creatures.     

Survival in the Wilderness ... August 5 - 9   
What would you do if you were lost in the woods? How would you find food and shelter? Discover how people and animals develop skills to survive in the wild.  
 
Discovery Kids ... August 12 - 16
Why is the sky blue?  How does a compass know which way to point?  Why does ice float?  Become a biologist, chemist and physicist to discover answers to these questions through experiments, games & outdoor activities.   

Rocks, Minerals & Dinosaur Tales: Digging Deeper... August 19 - 23  
Uncover a brand new world beneath our feet. Examine creatures, rocks, minerals and fossils of the earth below. Uncover the secrets of Connecticut's dinosaurs!  

Designed for the student with a high degree of interest in the natural world,
the programs include field trips to other natural areas in Connecticut.

Unless otherwise noted, these programs will consist of
three half-day and two full day programs.
9am - Noon (Monday - Wednesday) / 9am - 3:30pm (Thursday - Friday)
Members: $230       Nonmembers: $265 (except as noted)

Bring a snack. For all-day classes, participants should also bring lunch.
(NO peanut products please)

Chasing Dragons ... July 1, 2, 3, 5   
(Note: four-day program, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday) 
Connecticut's only program on our fastest-flying insects, it combines natural history, physical fitness and had-eye coordination as we attempt to "catch" these prehistoric creatures in order to identify and census them. Includes physically active field trips to natural areas in the Farmington Valley and beyond. An insect net is recommended.
    Limit: 8 students (for students entering grades 5 - 9)
    Time: 9:00am - Noon Mon & Tues;  9:00am - 3:30pm Wed & Fri
    Members: $200.00    Nonmembers: $230.00

Explorations I ... July 8 - 12     
An active week of hiking the Appalachian Trail corridor, canoeing the Farmington River, exploring tidal salt marshes and more! Good physical condition is required. 
    Limit: 12 students    

Reptiles & Amphibians ... July 15 - 19
Get ready to look for and learn about frogs, salamanders, turtles, and snakes. Includes field trips to local natural areas.
    Limit: 12 students             
    Time: 9:00 am - Noon (Monday - Friday)
    Members: $140.00    Nonmembers: $155.00

Hidden Gems in the Farmington Valley ... July 22 - 26
Daily hikes and natural history exploration of spectacular overlooks and scenic waterfalls right here in the Valley! Participants should be in good physical condition.
    Limit: 8 students 

On the Trail of Endangered Species ... July 29 - August 2     
Find out about Connecticut's endangered, threatened and special concern species. Includes an all-day field trip to look for rare animals.
    Limit: 8 students 

Farmington River Ramblin' ... August 5 - 9
Find out about the wildlife, ecology and history of the Farmington River. Includes a series of short field trips, plus an all-day Friday canoe trip. 
    Limit: 12 students

Explorations II ... August 12 - 16 
Another week of exciting field trips to Connecticut's unique natural areas.  Includes opportunities for hiking, canoeing, and wildlife observation. 
    Limit: 12 students