Natural Science Birthday Parties
Create a birthday party experience your child will never forget!
The New Canaan Nature Center has presented thousands of Natural Science
Birthday Parties since we began the program in 1987. Party themes
feature live animals, crafts, games, nature walks, natural science
exploration and more.
Our parties come highly recommended from parents and our bookings
result mostly from word-of-mouth reputation. Our staff are all highly-trained,
professional educators that provide a safe, exciting, educational
environment for your child and his or her friends! Our parties are
only open to NCNC members; a family registration may be added at the
time of your booking.
Party themes
Add-ons and options
Traveling Parties
Party registration information
Choose from the following party themes:
Live Animals (ages 3-12)
Touch a turtle or eyeball an owl as guests meet six animals from the
Nature Center’s teaching collection. Your birthday child becomes
an animal sponsor too! .
Favor: Themed book (our choice)
Age 3: 35 minutes
4 and up: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Woodland Wonders (ages 3-6)
Discover the wonders of nature as we meet three woodland animals and
visit a special place to read a story. We will also go on a "bug
hunt" in one of our gardens and decorate bug boxes to take home
as favors. A very popular party for the littler ones!
Favor: bug boxes
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Nature Walks (ages 3-12)*
Explore our trails and grounds! Your group will head out on an awesome
adventure with one of our educators to visit some of our favorite
spots at NCNC! We may visit the pond, look for critters in the Rotten
Log hotel, play a game of Camouflage or more! Educators tailor parties
to age, group size and season so that no two programs are the same!
Specific themes such as dinosaurs or scavenger hunts are available.
This is an outside program and will be replaced with Live Animals
in inclement weather.
Favor: binoculars or bug boxes (our choice)
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Planting (ages 3-12)*
Guests decorate a hanging pot with stickers and markers and then,
starting with soil, will discover what plants need to grow! Guests
will then plant there very own plant to take home and will get to
meet a plant-eating animal such as a rabbit or turtle too!
Favor: Hanging pot with plant
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Awesome Owls (ages 5-12)
Your guests will become wildlife biologists as they discover one of
the most fascinating animals on the planet, the owl! They will meet
a live owl and an animal that an owl might prey upon, such as a rat,
rabbit or snake, as well as viewing owl artifacts. Then, guests will
get a hands-on look at predator and prey as they dissect an owl pellet
and keep all the bones they find!
Favor: owl pellets
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Radical Reptiles (ages 5-12)*
Meet six live reptiles and amphibians as we discover why scaly and
slimy creatures are so cool! Guests will get to be eyeball to eyeball
with lizards, snakes, turtles, frogs or toads! Everyone will also
get to make their own slime to take home too!
Favor: themed book or toy (our choice) and slime
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Safari (ages 5-12)*
Travel around the world without leaving the Nature Center! Guests
will meet four exotic live animals, from birds to snakes, and then
decorate their own pith helmet with stickers and markers to take home.
Large safari animal cutouts are provided as part of room décor
which are great for pictures!
Favor: pith helmet
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Super Safari (ages 6-12)*
An extreme adventure! Guests will participate in our Safari party,
meeting four live exotic animals and decorating their own pith helmet!
In addition, each child will get to stuff their own critter to take
home with them. Party child may choose up to 3 choices of stuffed
critters (from 9) for party. Stuffed critters are approximately 13"
tall.
Favor: pith helmet and stuffed animal
Time: 80 minutes
Cost: $380.00
Create-a-Critter (ages 6-12)*
A better alternative to mall-based stuffing parties! Each child will
create their own 13" stuffed animal to take home and will also
get to visit with three live animals from our teaching collection!
Party child may choose up to 3 choices of stuffed critters (from 9)
for party.
Favor: stuffed animal
Time: 60 minutes
Cost: $275.00
Science Mania (ages 6-12)
Explore the fun side of science as we make slime, create volcanic
eruptions, launch film canister rockets and more! Experiments range
depending on age, weather, group size and availability! Guests will
start by decorating their own party bag that will soon be filled with
slime or other experiments and a grow-a-gator to take home!
Favor: party bag w/ experiments
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00
Flight (ages 6-12)
Explore the world of flight with this high-energy party! Kids will
meet one of our birds of prey and learn about other things that fly!
Then, guests will head outside for a great time launching hand rockets,
stomp rockets and more! Plus, the birthday child launches a model
rocket 300 feet in the air! This party is mainly outside and will
be replaced with Science Mania if weather is not cooperative.
Favor: Themed book or toy (our choice)
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $275.00
Night Hike (ages 7-12)
A unique party idea! Guests will star gaze, test their sense and make
a spark in the dark as we take an evening trek on the trails. Kids
will meet two nocturnal animals, such as an owl or opossum too! This
party is available on limited Friday nights only. Time varies depending
on sunset. Not recommended for parties with lots of younger children.
Favor: field guide or book
Time: 60 minutes
Cost: $275.00
Scare & Dare (ages 7-12)
This party is a must for fans of Fear Factor! Guests will first meet
rats, tarantulas or other icky animals and then will compete in slimy
games such as the Slimy Spelling Bee! We'll also learn where and why
people eat insects and give everyone an edible insect party favor
too! Guaranteed for an icky, slimy good time! We recommend that kids
dress in play clothes for this party.
Favor: Cricket Lick-it lollipop
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $220.00.
Science of Harry Potter (ages 7-12)
Enter the world of Hogwarts right here at NCNC. One of our enrobed
professors will lead your guests through three wizard classes. First,
wizards will create their own wands to take home. Then, all guests
will meet three magical creatures straight out of Hogwarts, such as
an owl, dragon, snake or rat. Finally, all wizards will use their
newly-created wands to test their hands at our Potions class! In addition,
we provide and set up themed partyware and room décor, as well
as give party parents a great idea guide to fill additional time,
so this party is a breeze.
Favor: themed book or toy (our choice)
Time: 60 minutes
Cost: $275.00
Survival Challenge! (ages 8-12)
Could you survive in the wild? Guests will begin their test with a
survival relay race and then will test their outdoor skills by learning
how to read a compass. Everyone will also learn how to build a survival
shelter and head out into the woods to practice this skill! This is
mainly outdoor party and will run rain or shine except in extreme
weather, in which case substitutions will be made.
Favor: Compass
Time: 60 minutes
Cost: $220.00
EXTREME Animal Party (ages 6-12)
Meet six of our live animals and go behind-the-scenes to tour our
Animal Care facility. An educator will also lead guests on short nature
walk of the grounds to look for wild animals that call NCNC home!
All guests will become members of our Sponsor an Animal program (from
limited animals) too! 16 children maximum.
Favor: Sponsor-an-Animal package and book
Time: 80 minutes
Cost: $525.00
* The New Canaan Nature Center is permitted by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the States
of New York and Connecticut for the possession and use of live animals
in our educational programs.
Add-ons and Options
Staff-led:
Twenty minute mini-programs in addition to your chosen theme. One
per party and one week notice required. For on-site parties only.
$30.00
We recommend non-animal add-ons for parties with younger children
that already have an animal component. This ensures that younger attention
spans have a lot of different things to do.
- Live Animal: 2-3 live animals will visit your guests.
- Reptiles: 2-3 live reptiles will introduce guests to the world
of scaly and slimy.
- Mask making: Decorate a cardboard mask with stickers, markers,
feathers and more.
- Nature walk: a short trek around our grounds to get out some energy.
- Science mania: 1-2 science experiments to round out the party,
experiments range.
- Nature games: Some of our favorite predator/prey, nature awareness
or animal-based games. Outside only.
Parent-led:
Choose one or both. One week notice required. For on-site parties
only.
- Coloring Wall: Giant (72" x 48") mural in animal themes.
$30.00
- Partyware: Cups, small and large plates, napkins, candles, tablecloths
and utensils coordinated with your theme. We try to use reusable
tablecloths, cups and utensils whenever possible. Set up prior to
your arrival to make your party a breeze! $50.00
Traveling Parties
Book a birthday party at your location! Many of our party themes
are available for off-site parties and can travel to your house or
party location. Traveling parties are denoted by an asterisk in the
list above. For party locations within 10 miles, there is no charge.
For distances greater than 10 miles, a $50.00 travel fee is required.
Party Registration Information
Parties are held on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Weekday and
holiday dates are subject to staff availability.
Parties prices include birthday child(ren) and up to 15 friends.
Additional children, up to a maximum of 25 total children, may attend
for an additional $4.00 per child (an additional $10.00 per child
for Create-a-Critter programs). Siblings, ages 2 and up, of the birthday
child or guest are included in the total number of children.
Parties include a two-hour room rental and an additional 45 minutes
for setup and 30 minutes for cleanup.
The New Canaan Nature Center respectfully requests that the following
items not be included in your party: balloons, live animal party favors
or noisemaker party favors.
We provide:
- Professional educator to lead your program
- Blocks, puzzles and toys in party room for children to play with
- Child or Adult tables and chairs
- Large table for food (extra tables available upon request)
- Use of Nature Center trails and grounds
- Themed party favors for each child (made or acquired during party)
- Access to kitchen facilities (sink, refrigerator, microwave)
A credit card number is kept on file in the event of damage to a
room or its contents. A minimum charge of $50.00 will be added to
your credit card to cover damages. The New Canaan Nature Center will
notify cardholder by phone is a charge is made.
Cancellations and
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 the cancellation.
To book your party call (203)966-9577, Monday through Saturday from
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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