Field Trips
Roaring Brook Nature Center is committed to providing an environment that maximizes learning.
We offer a comprehensive list of programs for students spanning Pre-K through Grade 8.
All programs are aligned with the CT Core Standards and NGSS.
For all school programs, call the Nature Center at (860) 693-0263 between 9 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday.
Because dates fill up quickly, reservations should be made
as early as possible in the school year.
When You Come to Roaring Brook ...
Roaring Brook Nature Center trail
One of the walk-through exhibit dioramas
Program Pricing
- 1 hr 15 min program – $12 per student ($240 minimum)
- 2 hr program – $15 per student ($280 minimum)
- All-day program – $20 per student ($415 minimum)
- Early Childhood Programs – 1 hour program – $10 per student ($200 minimum)
Teachers and school staff are free. One free chaperone per 15 students. Additional chaperones $6 each.
Program Times
Programs typically begin at 9:30 AM, 11 AM , or 1 PM.
Schedule times may vary slightly for 2-hour programs.
For all-day programs, scheduling as early in the year as possible is recommended.
Full payment is required upon arrival unless other arrangements are made in advance.
Payment may be made in the form of cash (larger bills, please), check, or with a credit card. The Nature Center does not accept discount coupons or Museum memberships in lieu of payment for school programs.
Two-week cancellation notice is required to avoid being billed the minimum program fee.
There is no charge for groups canceling due to inclement weather.
Every effort will be made to reschedule.
Please notify the Nature Center of any special needs of your group.
Our building is wheelchair accessible and we have an ADA compliant restroom; most of our trails are not wheelchair accessible but several smaller trails near our building are wheelchair accessible.
Upon arrival, teachers should check into the gift shop/office.
If you are planning to arrive early, please notify the Center as building space may be in use by other groups.
Late arrivals may result in shortened programs. Refunds are not issued for shortened programs.
Programs at Roaring Brook Nature Center utilize the wide variety of habitats in the refuge. Classes will go out in the rain, except in the event of thunderstorms.
Participants must come dressed to go outdoors.
The Nature Center gift shop carries a variety of nature-related items
for children and adults.
Reservations are requested for gift shop use.
Gift bags may be ordered in advance. To place an order, call (860) 693-0263.
Gift shop proceeds support our educational programming.
Limited facilities are available to groups. Reservations are required.
Early Childhood Programs
All in the Family
We all belong to a family. So do snakes, frogs, foxes, robins, and roses. Let us show you how those families are similar and how they differ.
Secret Life of Plants
What is a stem, branch, or root? What is a seed and what goes on inside it?
It’s Alive
Examine differences between living things and non-living things through hands-on discovery and observation of live plants and animals.
It’s Not Just Dirt
What is soil and why is it so important to our survival?
Our Watery World
Water is amazing! Learn about water in all its fascinating forms.
Animals on the Move
Living things move in many different ways. Find out about fins, wings, and animal movements!
Little Sprouts - Changing Seasons
How do plants and animals deal with the changing weather and climate?
Sign up for individual programs or all three:
- What’s Up With Fall? – How do plants and animals prepare for Connecticut’s harshest season?
- Frozen World – Who braves Connecticut’s winters? Learn to read the clues left by our winter residents and see how animals and plants survive the long winter season.
- Spring Fling! – Nature makes gradual but continuous changes from spring buds to ladybugs. Hands-on exploration brings these changes alive.
School Age Programs
It’s Alive
Grades K – 2
LS1.A.B & C, LS3 A&B
Learn how to distinguish living creatures from the non-living components of their environment. What do living things need in order to survive?
Animals on the Move
Grades K – 2
LS1.A
All living things move but they all move in different ways. Find out about fins, wings, and animal movements!
Insects and their Relatives
Grades K – 2
LS1.A, LS1.B, LS3.A & B
Explore different insect habitats and see what special adaptations insects have developed to help them survive. Observe insects close up in their environments.
(May to October Only)
It’s Not Just Dirt
Grades K – 2
ESS2.C, ESS3.A, PS3.D
What is soil and why is it so important to our survival? Learn how energy cycles through soils, and in turn, through ecosystems.
Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands
Grades K – 8
LS4.D
Discover how Native Americans relied on their natural environment for all their survival needs including shelter, clothing, and food.
Changing Land, Changing Wildlife
Grades 2 – 8
ESS1.C, ESS2.B & C
As Connecticut’s ecosystems have changed over time, the state’s wildlife has also changed. Observe, first-hand, how natural phenomena and human activities have impacted animal populations.
Water Ecology
Grades 3 – 8
LS1.A, LS4.C
2-hour program: Use a variety of tools, including microscopes and hand lenses to discover micro and macro organisms found in local streams and ponds. Discover their adaptations and what makes CT’s aquatic habitats special.
Keeping Water Clean
Grades 3 – 8
ESS3.C
Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on our water resources. Today, individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments. This program uses Enviroscape models to demonstrate how to prevent pollution.
Survival Skills
Grades 5 – 8
ESS2.A & D, ESS3.B & C
2 hour program – Skills learned are based on season: Learn basic survival skills including reading a map and compass, fire building, shelter construction, appropriate clothing, and food. Dress for the weather!
Nature’s Engineers
Grades K – 8
ESS2.E, ESS3.A & C
What is an engineer? Meet animal engineers and see how the structures they build are designed to help them raise their young, survive the winter, store food, or escape predators. Learn how some of these animals change their environment and what we can learn from them.
Home Sweet Home: Habitats
Grades K – 2
ESS3.A, LS2.A & B
All living things, including people, need water, air, food, and a place to live. Find out how our local wildlife uses natural resources to meet their survival needs.
From Seed to Seed
Grades K – 2
LS1.A & C, LS2.A
Explore how flowering plants change throughout their life cycles in order to survive.
(Fall and Spring Only)
Animal Life Cycles
Grades K – 8
LS1.B, LS3.A&B
Animals have unique and diverse life cycles. Compare how different animals grow and change throughout their lives.
Animal Super Senses
Grades K – 8
LS1.A & D, PS4.B
Animals have body parts that capture and convey information needed for their growth and survival. How do animals perceive the world? Discover animals’ super senses and their odd ones, too!
Adaptations
Grades K-8
LS1.A, LS4.B&C
Search for Connecticut’s native wildlife and learn about the skills that allow them to thrive in our forests.
Predator & Prey
Grades K – 8
LS1.A, LS4.B&C
Learn how animals big and small find food and avoid being eaten.
Claws, Paws & Jaws
Grades K – 8
LS1.A, LS4.B&C
From the sharpest claws to the pointiest teeth, animals have many unique structural adaptations to help them survive.
Stories in Stone
Grades 2 – 8
ESS1.C, ESS2.B & C
Every rock in your backyard tells a story. Adventure through time as we travel the trails, and discover what the rocks can teach us about how Connecticut’s landscape came to be.
Changing Seasons
Grades K – 2
ESS2.D; PS3.B
How do plants and animals deal with the changing weather and climate?
- What’s Up With Fall?
- Frozen World
- Spring Fling