Nature Adventure Birthday Parties

Create a birthday party experience your child will never forget! Party themes feature live animals, crafts, games, nature walks, natural science exploration and more. We use our outdoor classroom space as much as possible, so animal presentations and art experiences may be held outside in good weather.

Our parties have resulted in hundreds of happy parents and birthday memories! Staff are all highly-trained, professional educators that provide a safe, exciting, educational environment for your child and his or her friends! Parties are only open to NCNC members; a family membership may be added at the time of your booking.

Note that all parties include a 2 hour room/facilities rental and an NCNC instructor will lead the chosen activity (ranging from 50-80 minutes) during that period. The room will be set up with tables and chairs and toys, blocks, etc. will be available to play with. Parents are responsible for set-up and clean-up of additional decorations or activities (unless party "add-ons" are requested at the time of booking).

Party themes
Add-ons and options
Traveling Parties
Party registration information

Choose from the following party themes:

Awesome 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! .

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 nature walk and experience many of the fun adventures to be had in the woods: reading a story in a special spot, going on a scavenger hunt, catching (and releasing!) critters, or playing a game.

Walk On The Wild Side (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.

Garden Magic (ages 3-12)*
Guests decorate an environmentally-friendly 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!

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!

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.

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 from a variety of 13" tall stuffed critters for party.

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! We’ll use environmentally-friendly stuffing such as organic cotton or corn-based fiberfil for our stuffed animals. Each party will have a variety of critter choices.

Science Mania & Add On (ages 7 and up)
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 to take home!

Night Hike (ages 7 and up)
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 one nocturnal animal, 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.

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!

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.

* 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.

• 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
  
• Partyware utensils only: $15
  
  

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 a $25 charge. For distances greater than 10 miles, a $60.00 travel fee is required.

Party Registration Information

Parties are held on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Sunday parties are an extra $100. Weekday and holiday dates are subject to staff availability.

Party prices include birthday child(ren) and up to 15 friends. Additional children, up to a toal of 25 children, may attend for an additional $5.00 per child (an additional $10.00 per child for Create-a-Critter and Super Safari 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 created by each child during the 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 Marianne Dec at (203)966-9577 x20, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.