Children, Youth and Family Programs Winter and Spring 2022

We continue to find flexible and adaptive new ways to meet the needs of children and families. Our emphasis is on providing inquiry-based environmental and outdoor education programs for small groups.  Our programs, as always, are focused on learning from nature, but we are placing a heightened focus on meeting the need children have for unstructured time with their peers. It is essential to children’s social-emotional development and general sense of well-being to be able to play and be free outside with each other!  

Winter programs will be mostly outdoors with short portions indoors, to allow for warm ups and a longer duration program.  While inside everyone will be required to be masked.  We will attempt to limit indoor eating to more extreme weather but if we do eat inside everyone will be socially distanced by at least 6 feet. 

 

Programs may also be viewed in a calendar.

Registration open now!

If you are looking for School Vacation Camps see drop down menu. 

A note about registration: Many of our programs fill quickly, so we highly recommend registering on the waiting list. We go to this list first if a space opens up. By adding your name, you can help us better plan for the programs that are in high demand.

Nature Discovery Preschool Series- Beanstalks to Butterflies: How things change in nature.
Colleen Kelley
Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend with child)
Fridays, March 25 - June 17 ( no programs April 15, 22, May 13)
Morning session: 9:30am-11:30 am *full - waitlist only
Afternoon session: 1:00pm-3:00pm *full - waitlist only
Fee per child: Tier A-$361 | Tier B-$289 | Tier C-$217  | Tier D-$145
Limited to 7 families. Limit of 2 children per adult.
Please note: This ten-week series will take place outdoors unless there is extreme weather. 

Metamorphosis and how things change in nature is the theme for this popular program. Children will compare their own lives, from newborn to preschooler, with the life cycles of other living things. Through live animal and plant observations, stories, songs, movement, imagery and crafts, children will learn about how and why changes happen. Start your metamorphosis now! An adult must attend with the child to develop a sense of wonder together.

HOMESCHOOL

Homeschool I: From Raindrop to Reservoir
With Monya Relles
Ages 6-8, Grades 1-3
Tuesdays 10am-2pm *full - waitlist only
March 8 - June 7 (No program Mar 15, Apr 26, and May 24 for Discovery Days, no class April 19 for April Vacation Week)
Tier A: $732 Tier B: $586 Tier C: $439 Tier D: $293
Limited to 12 participants

In Homeschool I: Raindrop to Reservoir, we will dive into the exciting world of water. We will explore how all life depends on water, how we humans use water in our daily life, and how we can connect water to our on-site living building. We will approach learning with outdoor play, hands-on activities, journaling, songs, and more.

AFTERSCHOOL

Junior Nature Play Afterschool Series Spring

with Aemelia Thompson
Ages 5-7 or Grades K-1
Wednesdays, 3:30pm-5:30pm
March 23 - June 8 (no program April 20) 
Extended Days on March 23, April 6, & May 11
Fee per Child: Tier A-$410 | Tier B-$328 | Tier C-$246  | Tier D-$164
Limited to 10 participants

Hitchcock’s Junior Nature Play Afterschool Program is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During Spring Junior Nature Play we will play in the mud and spring rains, look for bugs, and enjoy the warming outdoors. Our instructors provide a safe setting for children to explore nature and encourage children to stretch their limits. 

 

Nature Play Afterschool Series Spring

with Aemelia Thompson
Ages 6-9 or grades 1-3
Mondays, 3:30-5:30pm *full - waitlist only
March 21 - June 6 (no program April 18 or May 30)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$300 | Tier B-$240 | Tier C-$180  | Tier D-$120
Limited to 12 participants

-OR-

With Monya Relles
Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30
March 22 - June 7 (no program April 19)
Fee per Child: Tier A:$325 | Tier B:$260 | Tier C:$195 | Tier D:$130
Limited to 12 participants

-OR-

With Jeff Mazur
Wednesdays, 3:30pm-5:30pm *full - waitlist only
March 23 - June 8 (no program April 20)
Extended Days on March 23, April 6, & May 11
Fee per Child: Tier A-$403 | Tier B-$322 | Tier C-$242  | Tier D-$161
Limited to 12 participants

Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. In Winter Nature Play After School we will explore snowy wooded trails and fields, make snow villages, and sled down the HCE hill. Our instructors provide a safe setting for children to explore nature and encourage children to stretch their limits.

 

Art in the Forest After School Series Spring

with Aemelia Thompson
Ages 8-11 or Grades 3-5
Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30
March 22 - June 7  (no program April 19)
Tier A: $332 Tier B: $265 Tier C: $199 Tier D: $133
Limited to 12 participants

Each session of Art in the Forest we will explore and create in the beauty of the outdoors in Spring.  The world will be waking up and we’ll be getting outside to make art in it!  Our projects could include making casts of animal footprints, painting, and making flower presses. We’ll develop awareness of the details in the natural world and work on our social skills as a group, playing games and building community.

DISCOVERY DAYS

Abundance and Gratitude Discovery Day

With Monya Relles
November 23, 10am-2pm
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
Tier A:$76 | Tier B:$61 | Tier C:$46 | Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participants

What does it mean to have an abundance of something? What would happen if we had an abundance of food, water, or energy and we could share everything at will? What kind of societies did and still do operate with abundance economies? In this class we will explore the answers to these questions with hands-on activities, games, and nature exploration.

Owl-Ology

With Monya Relles
January 11, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participants

Who, who, who will we be studying this discovery day? Owls! We will learn all about owl, play owl games, practice our owl calls and even dissect some pellets. Get your silent wings on and fly on over!

We All Depend On Trees

With Jeff Mazur
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
January 25, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participant

Trees are all around us, but what do we actually know about them? Join us as we meet some trees, and find out what they offer to us and what we can learn from them.

Animal Detectives: Uncovering Animal Tracks & Signs

With Jeff Mazur
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
February 8, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participant

Today you will become an animal detective! Together we’ll identify tracks, read signs, and study scat as we learn what these fascinating clues can tell us about the animals in our own backyards!

Seeing double: Biomimicry

With Monya Relles
March 15, 10am-2pm
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
Tier A:$76 | Tier B:$61 | Tier C:$46 | Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participants

How can we learn from the living things around us? We will be practicing building like animals, moving like animals, and even learning like animals on this day full of games, buildings, and fun! 

Building Pollinator Gardens

With Monya Relles
April 26, 10am-2pm
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
Tier A:$76 | Tier B:$61 | Tier C:$46 | Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participants

Come work with us on our pollinator gardens as we think, learn and play about pollinators. We’ll plant flowers, play in the garden, and hopefully enjoy the warm spring weather.

Wild About Weather

With Jeff Mazur
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
May 24, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participant

Whether you have your head in the clouds, or enjoy singing in the rain, we will have a fun filled day learning about weather.

FAMILY

Second Saturday Family Science (In-Person Outside) with Aemelia Thompson
Ages 5–7, Grades  K–1
Saturdays, 10–11am
January 8th, February 12th, March 12th, April 9th, May 7th*, and June 11th
Suggested Donation: $5–$30 per family

*The Saturday Science on May 7th has been moved to the first Saturday of May due to space availability.

Join us for seasonal nature and science programs each second Saturday of the month. Designed for children (ages 5–7) with their parents, these programs will explore cool topics in nature.  

January 8th: Living With Bears

Have you ever seen a bear in your neighborhood? Massachusetts’ only native species of bear, the black bear, is an amazing and often misunderstood animal. Join us as we learn about how they live and how we can safely share their habitat with them.

February 12th: Tracks and Traces 

While we’re bundled up inside there is still a lot going on outside in Winter! We know this because the animals leave us clues! What tales can animals tell us by looking at what they leave behind?

March 12th: Plants in Winter

Some plants die in the Winter, others retreat unseen below the ground, still others seem completely unchanged.  Learn about the adaptations of different plants in Winter time and investigate some evergreens in an attempt to understand their survival strategies.

April 9th: Vernal Pools

Also called “ephemeral pools” these Spring habitats are teeming with life and only around for part of the year! As the world thaws, come explore the life of these unique and beautiful places. 

*May 7th: Wind and Air

We can’t hold them or see them, but they’re all around us! This month at the Hitchcock Center we’ll make the invisible visible by examining wind and air at work.  We’ll be making our own wind catchers and learning about our relationship to wind and air.

June 11th: Poisonous or Venomous

What’s the difference between poisonous and venomous? Where do these toxins come from? How do plants and animals use their toxins? In this Saturday Science we will explore the answers to these questions with hands-on activities, games, and nature exploration. 

AFTERSCHOOL

Girls into the Wild Spring

with Katie Koerten
Ages 8–11 or Grades 3–5
Thursdays, 3:30-5:30pm
March 24 - June 9 (no program April 21)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$332 | Tier B-$265| Tier C-$199  | Tier D-$133

 

Join us in winter 2022 for more romping wildly through the field and forests of the Hitchcock Center. As always we’ll visit our favorite places to play in the forest, such as Stump City, the Ferns, and the Faraway Woods - exploring the seasonal beauty of nature as we go. Play games, make friends, and create nature projects outdoors! Come build your confidence and show your wild side! Any young people with an experience of gender marginalization are welcome!

 

Wild Children of the Woods Spring  

With Monya Relles
Ages 8-11 or Grades 3-5
Mondays 3:30-5:30 *full - waitlist only
March 21 - June 6 
No program April 18 and May 30th
Tier A:$300 Tier B:$240 Tier C:$180 Tier D:$120
Limited to 12 participants

We go to the woods to think, learn, play, and explore in this afterschool series for upper-elementary schoolers. We will roam the grounds of the Hitchcock Center as we watch the seasons change our beautiful woods. We will visit stump city, ferns, and the far-away woods, play some organized games, and learn about the animals, plants, and life in these woods, including ourselves.

 

Art in the Forest After School Series Spring

with Aemelia Thompson
Ages 8-11 or Grades 3-5
Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30
March 22 - June 7  (no program April 19)
Tier A: $332 Tier B: $265 Tier C: $199 Tier D: $133
Limited to 12 participants

Each session of Art in the Forest we will explore and create in the beauty of the outdoors in Spring.  The world will be waking up and we’ll be getting outside to make art in it!  Our projects could include making casts of animal footprints, painting, and making flower presses. We’ll develop awareness of the details in the natural world and work on our social skills as a group, playing games and building community.

 

HOMESCHOOL

Homeschool II: Biologists in Training

With Jeff Mazur
Grades 4-6, Ages 9-12
Tuesdays, 10:00am - 2:00pm
March 1 - June 7 (No program Mar 8, Mar 15, Apr 26, and May 24 for Discovery Days, no class April 19 for April Vacation Week)
Tier A: $732 Tier B:$586 Tier C:$439 Tier D:$293
Limited to 12 participants

In this evolving weekly homeschool class, we will become biologists, learning more about the life all around us. We will explore life in all sorts of ways – from using a microscope, to venturing into different habitats. We will discover what is underfoot, in the water, or growing right before our eyes. With games, experiments, special guests, home projects and field trips we will have close encounters with different types of living creatures and learn how they survive and thrive. Non-refundable within a week of the start of the program; all refunds incur a 10% administrative fee.

 

DISCOVERY DAYS

Owl-Ology

With Monya Relles
January 11, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participants

Who, who, who will we be studying this discovery day? Owls! We will learn all about owl, play owl games, practice our owl calls and even dissect some pellets. Get your silent wings on and fly on over!

We All Depend On Trees

With Jeff Mazur
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
January 25, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participant

Trees are all around us, but what do we actually know about them? Join us as we meet some trees, and find out what they offer to us and what we can learn from them.

Animal Detectives: Uncovering Animal Tracks & Signs

With Jeff Mazur
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
February 8, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participant

Today you will become an animal detective! Together we’ll identify tracks, read signs, and study scat as we learn what these fascinating clues can tell us about the animals in our own backyards!

Seeing double: Biomimicry

With Monya Relles
March 15, 10am-2pm
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
Tier A:$76 | Tier B:$61 | Tier C:$46 | Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participants

How can we learn from the living things around us? We will be practicing building like animals, moving like animals, and even learning like animals on this day full of games, buildings, and fun! 

Building Pollinator Gardens

With Monya Relles
April 26, 10am-2pm
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
Tier A:$76 | Tier B:$61 | Tier C:$46 | Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participants

Come work with us on our pollinator gardens as we think, learn and play about pollinators. We’ll plant flowers, play in the garden, and hopefully enjoy the warm spring weather.

Wild About Weather

With Jeff Mazur
Ages 6-12, Grades 1 - 6
May 24, 10am - 2pm
Ages 6-12 or grades 1st - 6th
Tier A:$76 Tier B:$61 Tier C:$46 Tier D:$30
Limited to 12 participant

Whether you have your head in the clouds, or enjoy singing in the rain, we will have a fun filled day learning about weather.

Spring Vacation Days

Monday through Friday, April 18th-22nd, 2022
8:30-am-3:00pm
Age Groups:
Jumping Mice: Ages 5-6, Grades K-1
Brown Bats: Ages 6-8, Grades 1-2
Groundhogs: Ages 8-10, Grades 3-5
Fee per child per day: Tier A-$95 | Tier B-$76 | Tier C-$57  | Tier D-$38

Spend your days off from school learning and playing outside at the Hitchcock Center! We’ll explore topics in spring ecology while playing games, making crafts and spending time with our live animals. Sign up for as many days as you wish. Five-year olds must be in Kindergarten in order to participate. First graders may register for the K-1 age group or the 1-2 age group.  This camp will be held completely  outdoors if possible, only coming inside in extreme weather. Non-refundable within a week of the program, all refunds incur a 10% administrative fee.
Limited 12 Participants for Jumping Mice
Limited to 15 participants for Brown Bats and Groundhogs

Ages 5–8 or Grades K–2

with Aemelia Thompson
Mondays or Tuesdays, 1pm

OR

Helen Ann Sephton
Tuesdays, 1pm

Fee per program: Tier A-$61  | Tier B-$50  | Tier C-$37  | Tier D-$18
Group size: up to 22 students, including at least one adult

VIRTUAL CLASSROOM PROGRAMS REGISTRATION

Have a Hitchcock educator pay a virtual visit to your classroom or home! Our virtual class programs will be focused on specific topics to fit with your science curriculum. You will receive special topic-focused, take-home resources, and a remotely accessible video of a Hitchcock educator that will spark student interest. This will be paired with a 40-minute interactive lesson on Zoom with a Hitchcock educator that will end with a fun game that will check for students' understanding and reinforce lesson goals. These are single session lessons and not a series.

When registering, choose your first and second preference for a date and time and one of the Virtual Class Program themes below:

  • Life Underground: Does a hole in the earth sound like a comfy place to live? To some animals it absolutely does! Living underground takes serious work but it is also a place many animals make their homes or live out their whole lives. Many of the animals that use the earth as their dwelling live right here in Massachusetts. Come dig in with us!
  • Predator and Prey: Trying to survive out in the wild can be a tough job for any animal, whether you’re a fox looking for a mouse to snack on, or the mouse hiding from the fox! Predatory animals have to hunt other animals for their food and their prey must be smart to avoid them. Both have their place in the ecosystem. Learn more about their special adaptations in this classroom program.
  • Flowers and Plants: Can you eat sunlight and help bees make honey? Flowers aren’t just beautiful to see and pick, they are a vital part of nature. In this lesson we’ll look at flowers, the special adaptations they use to thrive in our world, and how we’ve come to depend on them as humans.
  • Insects: What makes an animal an insect? What role do insects play in our world and how are they important to people? Come learn about the adaptations, life cycles and ecology of one of the most successful groups of animals on earth.
  • Decomposers: What happens to plants and animals after they die? Or the banana peel you aren’t going to eat? They become a tasty buffet for some vital critters in the food chain. Decomposers act as nature’s “clean-up crew”– they consume dead animal carcasses, decaying plant material and waste products from other members of the ecosystem. At home you can search for, observe, and study the work of decomposers, and together we’ll explore why these small critters play such a big role.
  • Metamorphosis: We all go through changes in our life, but metamorphosis tops any changes humans can do. Butterflies, frogs, millipedes, all of them experience this incredible process. Learn about the life cycles of our metamorphosing friends in this virtual classroom program.

with Hitchcock Center Educators
MondaysThursdays, 10am, 11am, or 1pm
Fridays, 10am
Field trip length: approximately 45 minutes
January 10–June 15
Fee per Program: Tier A-$94  | Tier B-$75  | Tier C-$56  | Tier D-$28
Group Size: up to 22 participants, including at least one adult

VIRTUAL NATURE-BASED FIELD TRIP REGISTRATION
When registering, choose your first and second date and time preference and one of the Virtual Nature-based Field Trips themes below:

These live-stream virtual field trips use Zoom to offer interactive, inquiry-based learning opportunities for families and learning pods. Upon registration, a field-based “pre-trip” video along with suggested activities and resources will be provided to help engage participants in the learning process prior to participating in the live session. Each field trip has been designed to address grade-level STEM standards. We require one individual to sign up for a group. The price remains the same regardless of group size. It is expected that at least one to two adults attend the field trip via Zoom meeting with their child participants.

Amazing Animal Adaptations
Ages 5–9 or Grades K–4
How do animals survive in the wild? We will focus on the amazing diversity of life on the planet and in our area. In our pre-recorded video, participants will be introduced to live teaching animals by tuning into the talk show “Good Morning Animals.” Students will learn about how biology and behavior helps animals survive in habitat in unique ways. In our interactive live-stream video session, we will come together to share our experiences with local animal adaptations in addition to observation of our teaching animals and stuffed mounts. We will also explore the concept of biomimicry and human adaptations through conversation and games. STEM standards

Insect Investigations
Ages 5–9 or Grades K–4
What makes an animal an insect? What role do insects play in our world and how are they important to people? In our pre-recorded video, we will become entomologists with a Hitchcock educator to adventure into the woods and search for insects. Learn how to identify an insect, where to find them, and the tools you’ll need to collect them. Plus, learn a ton of cool insect facts along the way! We will also come together in an interactive live-stream video session to share our experiences with insects, observe live teaching insects close up, learn about their complex life cycles, and participate in identification games and quizzes. STEM standards

Life in a Pond
Ages 5–10 or Grades K–5
A pond is much more than frogs and fish! In a pre-recorded video, we will demonstrate the beautiful web of pond life from algae and microscopic organisms to insect larvae and amphibians. We will learn how to make a simple pond net, read about what makes a pond a pond, and go on a virtual pond tour. You will be given a list of simple equipment to use to successfully collect pond animals, and will be shown how to safely collect and release these animals. Then we will share our experiences through an interactive live-stream session where we will get a close-up look at pond invertebrates (animals without backbones), do a scientific drawing, and experiment with the surface tension of water. STEM standards

Mountains and Valleys
Ages 9–10 or Grade 4–5
Discover the stories in the stones around us! The Holyoke Range can tell us much about how the Earth’s crust is shaped. It is a geologically unique area, where we can find evidence of shifting tectonic plates, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers, and erosion, all in one place! In this virtual field trip, we will first learn how the everyday landscape provides intriguing clues to the past in a pre-recorded video. Together, we will then explore local geology through video, hands-on experimentation and a live stream video session. STEM standards

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COVID-19 Safety

Read our complete COVID-19 Program Participant Guidelines.

Our programs are designed to be fun and engaging and above all safe. The COVID-19 program guidelines are designed to help protect everyone as we meet the strict health and safety requirements of the CDC and our state. Please take the time to read the information thoroughly.  If you feel that you or your child(ren) cannot follow these guidelines, we ask that you wait until these restrictions have been lifted to join one of our programs or events. We may change our guidelines to reflect new guidance from CDC and Massachusetts.

Fees

Given this time of financial hardship for our community and our organization, we are offering a new sliding scale fee structure aimed to provide greater flexibility in choosing a price that is right for you and your family.

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Hitchcock Center for the Environment