Exhibits, Events & Nature Walks

Click here for our Winter Newsletter

Click here for our Spring Newsletter

Click here for our Summer Newsletter

BUILDING OUR FUTURE!

The Nature Center and the
Friends of the Roaring Brook
will be holding a variety of fundraisers
to support the construction of
new raptor / wildlife enclosures
for our wonderful resident / rehabilitating
birds and animals.

To learn more
about this project,
click here

Call the Nature Center if you
would like to to help
with this project,
our fundraisers, or to
make a donation.

NEW RAPTOR ENCLOSURES, CLASSROOM and MUCH MORE
PLANNED FOR THE NATURE CENTER

Click here to learn about

events and programs offered by

The Children's Museum in West Hartford

Nature Programs & Events

POSTPONED to Sunday, April 2nd
DUE TO COLD WEATHER

Sunday, April 2
2 — 3 pm

Maple Sugaring in Your Own Backyard

Our annual demonstration teaches you how to make maple syrup the easy way.

We’ll cover the entire process from identifying the tree to the best part – tasting the final product.

Cost: $6 adults, $4 children; members half-price
Pre-registration is not required.

Vernal Pool Walk /Amphibians Program

Brian Kleinman from Riverside Reptiles will present a program on the amphibians that inhabit vernal pools and lead a walk to local wetlands to view nocturnal wildlife. Not geared for very young children.

Cost: $5 members; $7 nonmembers
Pre-registration required - space is limited.

Spring Fever!
School Vacation Program for Grades K - 5

Join us for a week of morning fun & exploration in forest, field, and pond looking for wildlife at Roaring Brook Nature Center. Learn how animals know that spring has arrived.

Daily Rate: $35 members, $40 nonmembers
Full Week: $165 members, $190 nonmembers.
Pre-registration with payment is required

Click here for a registration form

Wednesday – Friday
April 12 — 14
anytime 1 — 4 pm

Saturday, April 15
anytime 10 — 4 pm

Sunday, April 16
anytime 1 — 4 pm Tuesday

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs! Spring Scavenger Hunt

Spring is the season of eggs – bird eggs, frog eggs, turtle eggs, fish eggs!
Help us find them and learn about the animals that laid them and
the nests they have built to hold them.

Find the hidden nests around the Nature Center, then head out on the trails
on a scavenger hunt to see where eggs will be laid this spring.

Cost: Scavenger hunt maps free with admission to the Nature Center.
No need to preregister.

Flatbread Pizza Night Fundraiser
for the Nature Center

Bring your friends, bring your family for dinner at Flatbread's at The Shoppes at the Farmington Valley.  Dine in or take out!

A percentage of the pizza sales supports the Nature Center.

Earth Day Talk
Saving Our Wild Areas, One Yard at a Time

The spring gardening season is upon us and there are many things we can do in our own yard to help our local wildlife and habitats. Join us to learn how you can make a difference.

Cost: $5 members; $7 nonmembers
Pre-registration required.

Weekend Bird Walks

An early morning walk through Werner’s Woods provides welcome sights and sounds for beginning birders as well as those with more experience in the field. Bird walks are not geared for younger children.

Bring binoculars and dress for wet ground underfoot.

Cost: $3 members; $5 nonmembers
Pre-registration is not required.

Annual Mother's Day Wildflower Talk & Walk

Connecticut has a myriad of spring wildflowers. Find out why they bloom in the spring, where to find them, how they got their names and what makes these plants so special.

Join us for a special lecture from 1 pm to 2 pm followed at 2 pm by a guided walk through our woods and our native plant gardens looking for wildflowers. Geared for all ages.

Cost: Adults $6; children half-price.
Moms admitted free. Pre-registration not required.

Nature Center will be closed for Memorial Day, May 29 – Trails open dawn

Saturday, June 3
Talk 1 pm—2 pm
Walk 2 pm—3:30 pm

Roaring Brook Nature Center's SUMMER 2017 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.  

TO LEARN MORE, CLICK HERE

For our SUMMER DISCOVER DAYS 2017 brochure

Selected Thursday afternoons beginning at 2:00 pm

July 6 – Snakes Alive!

July 20 – Caring for Wildlife

August 3 – Turtles BIG & small

August 10 – Living Dragons

Special Thursday Animal Demonstrations

These special 45-minute programs feature live and mounted animals and a brief power point presentation. Each program will focus on a different theme, providing an opportunity to learn about the habits and habitats of various animal groups.

The following programs have been scheduled:

July 6 – Snakes Alive!
Join Nature Center staff to learn about these fascinating creatures.

July 20 – Caring for Wildlife
Learn about how the Nature Center staff takes care of the many animals that reside at the Center or come to us for care.

August 3 – Turtles BIG & small
Turtles come in many shapes and sizes. Join us as we visit with these ancient animals. 

August 10 – Living Dragons
Brian Kleinman of Riverside Reptiles will be on hand with some very special guests for a presentation on lizards.

Cost: $4 children, $6 adults Pre-registration is not required.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Tuesday afternoons
2 — 3 pm

July 11
July 25
August 1
August 15

Ask A Naturalist

Have a strange bug, plant, bone, or rock that you would like
to know more about? Bring it to Roaring Brook and the
Nature Center staff will try their best to figure out what it is.

Cost: Admission to the Nature Center (members free).
Pre-registration not required.

Wednesday ‘Crepuscular’ Walk

Many animals become more active in the cooler crepuscular (twilight) hours. In past years we’ve seen and heard a wide range of creatures on our evening walks.

What will we find this summer?!

Cost: $3 members; $6 nonmembers (children $2 members, $3 nonmembers).
Flashlight and long sleeves recommended (It will be buggy!)
Pre-registration not required.

Butterfly Tea Party & Story Time

Dress in your butterfly attire and waltz out to the Butterfly Garden for some iced tea, lemonade and cookies! Meet our resident butterflies & caterpillars, make a butterfly craft, and more....

Cost: Admission to the Nature Center (members free).
Pre-registration not required.

FARMINGTON VALLEY BUTTERFLY COUNT

The Nature Center will host the Farmington Valley Butterfly Count, a part of an annual survey sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association. To take part in the Butterfly Count meet in the Nature Center parking lot at 7:30 am. Participants in the Count should be prepared to travel throughout the Farmington Valley and be in good physical condition. Not geared for young children.

There is no charge to attend the Count.

Butterfly Gardens are for the Birds

Based on results from our annual butterfly count—find out which butterflies have done well this summer and how you can garden to attract these lovely creatures to your yard.

Cost: $3.00 members, $6.00 nonmembers

Pre-registration requested.

Teddy Bear Picnic & Story Time

Bring your favorite teddy bear & a bagged lunch/snack for a picnic in our butterfly garden — we will supply the lemonade and cookies. Make a bear craft, learn what our local bears are doing this time of the year, and more....

Cost: Admission to the Nature Center (members free).
Pre-registration not required.

Wednesday ‘Crepuscular’ Walk

Many animals become more active in the cooler crepuscular (twilight) hours. In past years we’ve seen and heard a wide range of creatures on our evening walks.

What will we find this summer?!

Cost: $3 members; $6 nonmembers (children $2 members, $3 nonmembers).
Flashlight and long sleeves recommended (It will be buggy!)
Pre-registration not required.

Houses & Homes for Fairies & Gnomes

What ‘magical’ creatures are living in our woods & gardens? Drop in between 10 am and 4 pm and, using only natural materials (we will provide some but feel free to bring your own) and your imagination, create your own small dwelling for the ‘wee folk’ right on the forest floor!

Costumes encouraged.

Cost: Admission to the Nature Center (members free).
Pre-registration not required.

Click here to learn about more events and programs offered by

Classes

Discovery Day Programs

Registration is open for the upcoming Discovery Days, the Nature Center’s enrichment series for children. Four week programs are offered for pre-schoolers and a parent, for students in kindergarten and kindergarten readiness programs and for elemantary age students. For more details, click here.

The cost of each four-week session is $40.00 for members, $50.00 for nonmembers. A $10 discount is extended to families with a second child attending during the same time period. Portions of the program are held outdoors, please dress accordingly.

Register by mail or in person during regular Nature Center hours. 
For a printable form, click here.

Please call the Nature Center at (860)693-0263 for additional information and to determine if there are class openings prior to mailing your registration.

The Nature Center can create special programs for your home school group. 

Explore the wonders of our woods, fields, and stream.

Each class will investigate a different aspect of a central theme, complete with hands-on experiments & plenty of time outdoors.

Classes comply with CT State Sceince Standards for Pre-K to Grade 2

To learn more or to schedule a program,
email us at rbnc@thechildrensmuseumct.org or call 860.693.0263

Click here to learn about Homeschool programs offered by
The Children's Museum in West Hartford

Email us at rbnc@thechildrensmuseumct.org or call 860.693.0263

Guided Nature Walks

Nature Walks

During July and August, group nature walks may be scheduled by individuals, families or by organized groups on selected weekday afternoons. Walks may be general or may focus on a specific topic of interest. Call the Nature Center for additional information.

The Werner Woods trails are open year-round for self-guided tours.  Trail guide books are available in the Nature Center store for $2.00.

• Volunteers are needed this summer to help maintain the Porritt Wildflower Trail and the Marabeth Finn Memorial Native Plant Butterfly Garden.
  
  Interested in helping out in the garden? Feel free to drop by and help out! Call Margery Winters at the Nature Center to find out more (693-0263).

• Volunteers interested in working with the Nature Center's Raptor Care Program (must be over 18 years of age), please call the Center (860) 693-0263. Whatever time you can offer will be appreciated.

For more information on our volunteer needs, click here.

Birthday Party Opportunities

During the school year, the Nature Center offers birthday parties on Saturdays (morning parties from 10:30 AM-12:30 PM, afternoon parties from 1:30-3:30 PM) and on selected weekday afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.

During July and August, the Nature Center will offer birthday parties on selected weekday afternoons from 1:30 – 3:30 PM. (Please note that birthday party availability is subject to the Nature Center’s summer program schedule of classes and public events).

Parties include a live animal demonstration, nature walk, and use of our auditorium for holding the party. Cost of a party is $150 for members, $175 for nonmembers.

For more information, click here. To make a reservation call the Center at (860) 693-0263.

Sunday before Thanksgiving
November 20, 2016
Noon - 4:00 pm

Holiday Craft Fair

CALLING ALL CRAFTERS! 
Are you interested in being a part of our 2016 Holiday Craft Fair?  We welcome vendors who have produced hand-made gifts and/or natural products to sell as 'gifts' during the holiday season.

For an registration form, please contact Margery Winters at mwinters@thechildrensmuseumct.org or 860.693.0263

Scout Programs

Leaders of Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scout Troops, as well as Cub Scout Troops, will find that numerous badge requirements may be fulfilled by a visit to Roaring Brook Nature Center. To learn more, click here.