Hitchcock Center for the Environment

Summertime Little Bear Nature Walk
2026-08-08 10:00 - 11:15, 2026-08-10 10:00 - 11:15, 2026-08-13 10:00 - 11:15, 2026-08-25 10:00 - 11:15, 2026-08-28 10:00 - 11:15, 2026-09-02 10:00 - 11:15 (America/New_York)
Little Bear Nature Walks
With Chrissy Larson
Ages 0-5 (Adult required to attend with child)
10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Walks are outdoors and take place unless there is extreme weather.
See dates and locations here
Little Bear Nature Walks are guided, open-ended walks that allow toddlers, preschoolers and their caregivers explore nature in an age-appropriate way. While on the walk, children borrow a backpack filled with simple tools for exploring and are led by a preschool educator. Children investigate plants and animals, engage with rocks, soil and water, and use their imaginations to play with the world. Walks incorporate observation, inquiry, and sensory learning. Each has a loose theme and includes a trail-side storytime. Come along with us!
See dates and locations here

Edible Plant Series
2026-08-09 10:00 - 12:00
with local herbalist and arborist, Alex Klein
Three Sundays: June 14, August 9, September 20
Location TBD based on season
2pm – 4pm -June 14
10am – 12pm – August 9
10am – 12pm -September 20
Sign up for 1 or all 3 programs
Sliding Scale $60, $75 or $90 for the 3 sessions.
Single classes $25, $32 or $40.
Ever wondered if you could eat that? This is your chance to find out! Join local herbalist and avid forager, Alex Klein, for a series of walks to learn about foraging for and eating wild food. Classes will focus on botanical identification, ethical harvest practices, and safety concerns around eating plants from wild and not-so-wild spaces. We’ll also talk about processing wild plant material and turning it into gourmet food. If we’re lucky, we might even get a snack while we’re out there!
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Chickadee Camp
2026-08-10 08:45 - 13:00, 2026-08-11 08:45 - 13:00, 2026-08-12 08:45 - 13:00, 2026-08-13 08:45 - 13:00, 2026-08-14 08:45 - 13:00
Chickadee Camp
Entering Kindergarten*
Mondays – Fridays, 8:45 am – 1 pm
Session 1: June 29th – July 3rd (one week)
Session 2: July 6th -July 17th (two weeks)
Session 3: July 20th – July 24th (one week)
Session 4: July 27th-August 7th (two weeks)
Session 5: August 10-14 (one week)
The Chickadee program is a safe, nurturing first outdoor day camp experience for young ones. Attentive and loving counselors facilitate safe and curious exploration of the Discovery Yard and Hitchcock trails while sharing enthusiasm and joyful nature connection. Chickadee Camp is primarily for rising Kindergartners (children entering Kindergarten in the fall)

Nature Summer Camp: Ew That's Gross!
2026-08-10 08:45 - 15:00, 2026-08-11 08:45 - 15:00, 2026-08-12 08:45 - 15:00, 2026-08-13 08:45 - 15:00, 2026-08-14 08:45 - 15:00
Ew, That’s Gross! (One-week Session)
Session 1: June 29th – July 3rd
Session 5: August 10-14
Do you love bugs, snakes, and slugs? Do you love digging in the dirt? Then this is the session for you! During this week, we’ll make slime, play in the mud, and discover creatures that live in the soil. We’ll find out who’s who in the creepy crawly world and learn about the important roles these animals serve for the environment as decomposers, predators, and food for other animals. Hands-on animal observation, hikes, and crafts are all part of the fun! There will be no field trips this week.

Fall Birding Course
2026-08-15 07:00 - 12:00, 2026-09-05 07:00 - 12:00
August 14 – November 14, 2026
Sliding scale for the course | $375, $415, or $455
REGISTRATION OPENS FRIDAY JULY 24 AT 9 AM
Join this Fall tradition led by birder and photographer Scott Surner. Are you wanting to delight in birds more often, learn what you are seeing and hearing, seek new species you haven’t seen, or just be in community with other birders? Course includes morning, all-day, overnight, and Zoom classes.
LEARN MORE, REGISTER, SEE FALL DATES/LOCATIONS

Mushroom Class
2026-08-30 14:00 - 16:00
Mushroom Classes at Mount Toby
Sunday, August 30th from 2 – 4pm
Sunday, October 11, from 2 – 4pm
Join mushroom enthusiast and educator Jessica Benson Evans of the Pioneer Valley Mycological Association as she explores and teaches us about the ecology and magic of fungi. Jessica has a conservation approach so this will be an educational and identification course rather than foraging. One class for $25 or both for $40.
LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP

Nature Play Afterschool
2026-09-01 15:30 - 17:30, 2026-09-08 15:30 - 17:30
with Jeff Mazur
Grades 1-3
Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30 PM
September 1 – December 22 (no programs on October 13, November 3)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$467 | Tier B-$389 | Tier C-$331
Limited to 12 participants
Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During Fall Nature Play we will explore wooded trails and fields, jump in leaf piles, build forts, climb trees, and make new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. Our instructors provide a safe setting for children to explore nature and encourage children to stretch their limits.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Girls into the Wild
2026-09-01 15:30 - 17:30, 2026-09-08 15:30 - 17:30
with Katie Koerten
For grades 3-5
Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30 PM
September 1 – December 22 (no programs on October 13, November 3)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$472 | Tier B-$393 | Tier C-$334
Limited to 12 participants
Girls into the Wild is for girls and nonbinary kids in fourth through sixth grade. Together we build a space where kids can be themselves, make friends, and take a few risks in nature. This fully outdoor afterschool program is a mix of structured and unstructured fun as we play games, do nature projects and explore nature in all weather. We’ll do our favorite activities that have been invented over the years, such as trading nature goods at the fairy market, building hotels for slugs, and fencing with staghorn sumac poles. We’ll visit our favorite places to play such as Roots, Jumping Rock, and the Faraway Woods. What new activities will we invent together?!
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Junior Nature Play Afterschool
2026-09-02 15:30 - 17:30, 2026-09-09 15:30 - 17:30
with Isaiah Brown
Grades K-2
Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30 PM
September 2 – December 16 (Extended days (1 PM) on September 23 & October 28, no programs November 11 & November 25)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$508 | Tier B-$423| Tier C-$360
Limited to 12 participants
Hitchcock’s Junior Nature Play Afterschool Program is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During Fall Junior Nature Play we will explore wooded trails and fields, play pretend in our mud kitchen, and make leaf crowns. Our instructors provide a safe setting for children to explore nature and encourage children to stretch their limits.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Nature Play Afterschool
2026-09-02 15:30 - 17:30, 2026-09-09 15:30 - 17:30
with Jeff Mazur
Grades 3-5
Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30 PM
September 2 – December 16 (Extended day (1 PM) on September 23, October 28, no programs November 11, November 25)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$508 | Tier B-$423 | Tier C-$360
Limited to 12 participants
Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During Fall Nature Play we will explore wooded trails and fields, jump in leaf piles, build forts, climb trees, and make new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. Our instructors provide a safe setting for children to explore nature and encourage children to stretch their limits. For those parents deciding between the junior and nature play programs, the latter often travels further and is away from the Hitchcock Center’s play yard longer.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Nature Craft Gathering: Herbal Honey Salves
2026-09-03 17:00 - 19:00
Nature Craft Gatherings
Sept. 3, 5 – 7 pm – Herbal Honey Salves
Oct. 1, 5 – 7 pm – Dried Florals – Make a bouquet, swag or wreath
Nov. 5, 5 – 7 pm – Winter Evergreen Wreaths
Sliding scale $25, $35 or $45
This is the kick-off season to our NEW! monthly nature crafting events. In these times, nature is a balm and so is creativity and creating in community. At these gatherings we will come together to learn how to create something beautiful, useful or cool from nature. Supplies and inspiration from nature included. We will have light refreshments and encourage conversation and community connections as we work.
Thursday, September 3 – Making Herbal Honey Salves:
Join us to create an herbal salve using plants and herbs from the Hitchcock Gardens and honey and wax from our bees. Supplies provided, space is limited.
REGISTER HERE

Fall Birding Course | Zoom Class
2026-09-09 18:00 - 20:00
