Nature Adventure Birthday Parties

Create a birthday party experience your child will never forget! The New Canaan Nature Center has presented thousands of Nature Adventure Birthday Parties since we began the program in 1987. Party themes feature live animals, crafts, games, nature walks, natural science exploration and more. We strive to use our outdoor classroom space as much as possible, so animal presentations and art experiences may be held outside in good weather.

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: $240.00

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 nature walk and scavenger hunt for natural objects, which we will bring back to make a woodland-inspired art project. A very popular party for the littler ones!

Favor: nature collage
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $240.00

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: $240.00

Planting (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!

Favor: Pot with plant
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $240.00

Animal Superheros (ages 4-8)
Have you ever met the fastest animal in the world? Been eyeball-to-eyeball with the longest snake in Connecticut? We’ll meet three live animals and learn all about their natural superhero powers! We’ll read a great story about a recycling superhero and then, we’ll make our own superhero cape to take home too.

Favor: cape
Time: 50 minutes
Cost: $240.00

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: $240.00

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: $240.00

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: $400.00

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! We’ll use environmentally-friendly stuffing such as organic cotton or corn-based fiberfil for our stuffed animals. Each party will have at least 4 critter choices.

Favor: stuffed animal
Time: 60 minutes
Cost: $315.00

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: $240.00

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: $300.00

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: $300.00

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: $240.00

* 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.