Scout Programs

From wildlife investigations to field ecology and astronomy, the New Canaan Nature Center offers more than 50 interactive programs designed to help girl and boy scouts fulfill requirements needed to complete badges and other advancements. With 40 acres of natural habitats and a live animal collection of birds of prey, reptiles and mammals, the Nature Center provides scouts with hands-on discovery, explorations and activities.

Our teaching staff is composed of professional educators dedicated to providing quality hands-on instruction about the natural world.

Daisy Petals
Brownie Try-its
Junior Badges
Cadet Interest Projects
Cub Scouts
Boy Scouts
Scout Overnights
Registration Information

Daisy Petals
Make the World a Better Place
Use Resources Wisely
Cost: $7.00 per scout. 60 minute programs.

Non-badge programs: Cider and Seeds, Create-a-Critter Workshop, Native American Storytelling, Sugar and Snow, and Things that Go Bump.
Cost: $8.50 per scout. Program lengths vary.

Cadet Interest Projects
All About Birds
Camping
Digging Through the Past
Eco-Action
From Shore to Sea
Pets
Planet Power
Plant Life
Wildlife
Cost: $9.00 per scout. Program lengths vary.

Cub Scout Programs
Tiger: Track Bead
Feed the Birds, Learn About Animals and Plant a Seed.
Cost: $7.00 per scout / 1 hour program

Bear: Sharing Your World with Wildlife Achievement
Arrow Points: Native American Life, Nature Crafts, Photography, Space and Weather.
Cost: $7.00 per scout / 1 hour program

Webelos: Forester Pin, Geologist Pin, Naturalist Pin
Cost: $7.50 per scout / 1.5 hour program

Boy Scout Merit Badges
Bird Study, Geology, Nature, Reptile & Amphibian Study Cost: $90.00 per program / 1 - 2 hours

Scout Overnights!

Work on your outdoor or nighttime badges or have our naturalists design an experience you’ll never forget. Choose from the following packages or create your own! Packages can be adapted for age and scout level. Mom and me overnights also available.

Cool Critter Overnight: Earn an animal-themed badge as you get eyeball to eyeball with NCNC’s live animals and explore our habitats for wildlife. Each scout will get to create their very own stuffed critter too!

Evening Explorers: Earn Sky Search or Space Explorer badges as we delve into the worlds of stars and planets and nocturnal animals. Meet some live nocturnal critters and take a great night hike on our trails!

Planet Protectors: Brownies and Juniors will both have hands-on experiences in helping to protect our planet! We’ll earn the GSC of SW CT’s Invasive Plant badge, as well as Earth Connections or Eco-Action badges for Juniors and Earth is Our Home and Eco-Explorer badges for Brownies.

Science Rocks! Get slimed, create crystals, build a model bridge and more as we discover how much fun science can be! Brownies will earn Science in Action and Science Wonders badges, while Juniors will earn Making it Matter and the troops’ choice of an additional science badge.

Registration Information

Step 1: Choose your program(s) and pick 2-3 dates from your scout calendar. Programs are usually held Monday through Friday after school and on Saturdays. Sunday dates subject to staff availability.

Step 2: E-mail the Director of Youth and Family Programs, Lisa Monachelli or call our registrar at (203) 966-9577 with the following information:

1. Troop number & mailing address
2. Number and age of scouts
3. Time of arrival
4. Preferred program(s) and date(s)

* You will receive notification confirming date availability.

Step 3: Payment is due two weeks before program date. A minimum of 12 scouts must be registered to hold a program date. Troops that have less than 12 scouts can ask another troop to join them or pay the minimum fee ($90.00 for Brownies; $102.00 for Juniors).

We provide: indoor or outdoor sleeping areas, materials for activities, evening snack, video rental of troop’s choice, minimum of two professional educators, full hot breakfast.
You provide: badges, dinner (can be eaten at NCNC), chaperones and after-program hours supervision.

Cost:
$35.00 per scout
First 3 chaperones FREE; $15.00 for each additional chaperone.
Twelve scout minimum required. ($420.00)
Dates book quickly, fall, winter and spring. Friday dates are available.

Cancellation & Refund Policy: Please notify the New Canaan Nature Center at least four weeks in advance of your scheduled visit or your payment will be forfeited. The New Canaan Nature Center will charge a 25% administrative fee and the remaining 75% reservation fee will be refunded only for cancellations made at least four weeks prior to the originally scheduled visit. Payments are transferable if you reschedule a program within 60 days of cancellation.

For more information, please email Lisa Monachelli, Director of Youth and Family Programs or call (203) 966-9577.