Explore the amazing natural wonders found at the SM&NC!
This series of family programs, led by the Stamford Museum & Nature Center Environmental Education team, explores the amazing natural wonders found on our campus. Programs meet at the Overbrook Nature Center. Limited enrollment. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Some programs are for SM&NC members only (not a member? Join today!).
Registration for Spring programs (April-June) opens
March 22 for SM&NC members and April 5 to all.
MEMBERS ONLY: Glow in the Dark Painting & Egg Hunt Challenge
Friday, April 2- FULL
7:30-8:30 pm
Ages 6+
Join us for an evening egg hunt in our woods! We’ll first get a chance to do some glow-in-the-dark painting on a canvas and then have a chance to hunt on our trails after hours for glow-in-the-dark eggs. Limited enrollment of 15 children. One free adult per child.
Members: $10/child + 1 adult
MEMBERS ONLY: Amphibian Amble
Session 1: Friday, April 9- FULL
Session 2: Friday, April 16- FULL
7-8 pm
Ages 5+
Join in on this Spring favorite which is celebrating its 40th year of programs! Grab your flashlights, hiking boots, and discover some of the unique creatures that visit these vernal pools once a year to lay their eggs like wood frogs, American toads, and spotted salamanders. Register early, this sells out every year! Limited to 16 people.
Members: $7/person
Rabbits & Rodents
Sunday, April 11- FULL
1-2 pm
Ages 6+
Join us to visit with two of our favorite groups of mammals at SM&NC—our rabbits and our rodents! Meet our three rabbits and help to exercise them. We’ll also meet our guinea pigs, chinchillas, and other rodents to learn about them. Help to make a salad feast for our guinea pigs too! Limited to 8 participants. Children 6 and up may be dropped off for this class. Children under 6 may attend with 1 adult at no additional charge.
Members: $10/person
Non-members: $13/person
Bird Hike & Nest Box Building
Wednesday, May 12 (raindate 5/19)
3:30-5 pm- FULL
Ages 7+
Join our Visitor Services Manager and birder Brian O’Toole on a bird hike on our trails. We’ll look for sights and sounds of spring migrants as well as our resident species. Discover ways to identify common song birds and raptors. Then, work to build your own bluebird box to take home for your yard. Each pair will work to create one box. Limited to 8 pairs (16 people). Children may not be dropped off for this class and must be ages 7 and up to register.
Members: $20/ticket (includes 2 participants and all materials)
Non-members: $25/ticket (includes 2 participants and all materials)
Insect Eaters!
Sunday, May 30- FULL
2:30-3:30 pm
Explore the world of insectivores from mammals to spiders to even carnivorous plants! Meet some of our live animal insectivores, such as our hedgehog, and learn about bugs that people eat too! We’ll also learn about different kinds of carnivorous plants and each participant will replant a Venus Fly Trap to take home! Limited to 8 participants. Children 7 and up may be dropped off for this class. Children under 7 may attend with an adult at no extra charge.
Members: $12/person
Non-members: $15/person
S’mores & Slides
Friday, June 4- FULL
6:30-7:30 pm
Ever wish you could have Nature’s Playground all to yourself? Join us for an evening of open playground followed by a chance to make our favorite campfire treat—S’mores! Our playground will be open to participants for 40 minutes of fun and then we’ll gather around our fire pits by the Overbrook Nature Center to enjoy some S’mores! Limited to 12 children/adult pairs.
Members: $10/ticket (includes 1 child and 1 adult)
Non-members: $13/ticket (includes 1 child and 1 adult)
Herpetology Hike
Sunday, June 6- FULL
3:30-5 pm
Ages 5+
Discover the species of reptiles and amphibians that call the SM&NC home! We’ll roll over logs, check Bendel Pond and see how our frogs and salamanders are growing up in our vernal pools, and get to meet a few of our teaching reptiles as well. Limited to 12 participants.
Members: $7/person
Non-members: $10/person