Girls into the Wild
2024-10-29 15:30 - 17:30, 2024-11-12 15:30 - 17:30 (America/New_York)
with Katie Koerten
Grades 4 – 6
Tuesdays, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
September 3 – December 17 (no program November 5)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$453 | Tier B-$378 | Tier C-$321 | Tier D-$245
Limited to 12 participants
Girls into the Wild is back in Fall 2024 for more romping wildly through the field and forests of the Hitchcock Center with Katie! As always we’ll visit our favorite places to play in the forest, such as Stump City, the Ferns, and the Faraway Woods – exploring the seasonal beauty of nature as we go. Play games, make friends, and create nature projects outdoors! Come build your confidence and show your wild side! Genderqueer, nonbinary, agender and trans young people are welcome.

Junior Nature Play Afterschool
2024-10-30 15:30 - 17:30, 2024-11-06 15:30 - 17:30, 2024-11-13 15:30 - 17:30
Junior Nature Play Afterschool
with Lauren Dausch
Grades K – 2
Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
September 4 – December 18 (Extended day (1 PM) on October 23, no program November 27)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$487 | Tier B-$406 | Tier C-$345 | Tier D-$264
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.

Nature Play Afterschool
2024-10-30 15:30 - 17:30, 2024-11-06 15:30 - 17:30, 2024-11-13 15:30 - 17:30
Nature Play Afterschool
with Jeff Mazur
Grades 2 – 4
Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
September 4 – December 18 (Extended day (1 PM) on October 23, no program November 27)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$487 | Tier B-$406 | Tier C-$345 | Tier D-$264
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.

Nature Discovery Preschool (AM)
2024-11-01 09:30 - 11:30, 2024-11-08 09:30 - 11:30, 2024-11-15 09:30 - 11:30
Nature Discovery Preschool Series:
Life in the Canopy! (Leaves, Seeds and the Animals Above Us)
with Chrissy Larson
Ages 3 – 5 (Adult required to attend with child)
Fridays, September 13 – December 6 (no programs September 27, October 25, November 29)
Morning session: 9:30 – 11:30 AM
Afternoon session: 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Fee per Child: Tier A-$477 | Tier B-$398 | Tier C-$338 | Tier D-$258
Limited to 16 participants. Limit of 2 children per adult. Siblings under 3 are free.
The leafy branches above our heads create a habitat for birds, mammals, and invertebrates. Children and their grown-ups investigate together and spend the fall learning about the unique inhabitants of the tree canopy. Birds and squirrels use the branches to find food and shelter. Hawks peer down watching for prey. As fall continues, leaves change color and fall to the ground, creating a cozy layer of food and shelter for nature’s recyclers. This program encourages learning through exploration, movement, songs, stories, and crafts. An adult caregiver must attend with the child. This Nature Discovery Preschool is a ten week series that takes place outdoors unless there is extreme weather.

Nature Discovery Preschool (PM)
2024-11-01 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-08 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-11-15 13:00 - 15:00

Wild Children of the Woods
2024-11-04 15:30 - 17:30, 2024-11-18 15:30 - 17:30
with Monya Relles
Grades 3 – 5
Mondays 3:30 – 5:30 PM
September 9 – December 16 (no class October 14 or November 11)
Fee per Child: Tier A:$393 | Tier B:$327 | Tier C:$278 | Tier D:$213
Limited to 12 participants
We go to the woods to think, learn, play, and explore in this afterschool series for upper-elementary schoolers. We will roam the grounds of the Hitchcock Center as we watch Fall turn to Winter. We will visit stump city, ferns, and the far-away woods, play some organized games, and learn about the animals, plants, and life in these woods, including ourselves.

School Curriculum Day
2024-11-05 08:45 - 15:00
November 5th – Curriculum Day – No school for Amherst Public Schools
with Alanna Johnston-Rutledge
Tuesday, November 5
8:45 AM – 3:00 PM
Grades 1 – 3*
Fee per Child: Tier A-$110 | Tier B-$92 | Tier C-$78 | Tier D-$60
Limited to 12 participants
Come play outside on this day off for Amherst elementary schoolers! Bring a snack, lunch and water bottle and come prepared to play outside, no matter what the weather! Limited to 12 participants. *Depending on enrollment, your Kindergartner or 4th grader may be able to join.

Fall Birding Optional Overnight Weekend Birding Trip with Scott Surner
2024-11-08 - 2024-11-10 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Optional Overnight Weekend Birding Trip-
Nov 8th-10th. Cape Cod Weekend. Departing early Friday morning and returning late afternoon on Sunday. We’ll focus mostly on the lower Cape. (Orleans down to Provincetown). More info will be given after sign-up. This trip is separate from the other trips listed above. Everyone is responsible for their own transportation, food and lodging. Fee includes 3 days of birding instruction.
Sliding scale: $190, 160, or $130.
REGISTER HERE FOR ADDITIONAL WEEKEND TRIP

Second Saturday Family Science
2024-11-09 10:00 - 11:00
Second Saturday Family Science
with Lauren Dausch
Ages 5 – 7 or Grades K – 1
Saturdays, 10 – 11 AM
September 14, October 12, November 9, December 14
Suggested Donation: $5–$30 per family
Join us for seasonal nature and science programs each second Saturday of the month. Designed for children (ages 5–7) with their parents, these programs will explore cool topics in nature. We will be learning while moving, often exploring the woods behind our building.
November 9: Let’s Get Cozy! (Inside/Outside)
As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, creatures of all shapes and sizes need to get cozy! Come on over to discover how animals’ cozy habits are both similar and different to ours.

School Holiday
2024-11-11 08:45 - 15:00
November 11th – School Holiday – No school for Amherst Public Schools
with Lauren Dausch
Monday, November 11
8:45 AM to 3:00 PM
Grades 1 – 3*
Fee per Child: Tier A-$110 | Tier B-$92 | Tier C-$78 | Tier D-$60
Limited to 12 participants
Come play outside on this day off for Amherst elementary schoolers! Bring a snack, lunch and water bottle and come prepared to play outside, no matter what the weather! Limited to 12 participants. *Depending on enrollment, your Kindergartner or 4th grader may be able to join.

Senior Nature Hike with John Green
2024-11-12 09:00 - 11:00
Senior Nature Hikes with John Green
Tuesday, November 12, 9-11am – Silvio Conte

These nature hikes will be led by naturalist John Green, they are all at locations with f
airly level ground, they will move slowly and not cover a lot of distance. Please wear solid footwear, and binoculars are welcome.
Registration is required, exact location and meeting spot will be provided upon registration. Sliding Scale: $10, $20, or $30

Homeschool I: Our Changing World
2024-11-12 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-11-19 10:00 - 14:00
Homeschool I: Our Changing World: Transformations in Nature
with Lauren Dausch
Grades 1 – 3, Ages 6 – 8
Tuesdays 10 AM – 2 PM
September 17 – December 10
(No program October 22, November 26 for Homeschool Discovery Days. No program November 5 for election day)
Fee per Child: Tier A: $773 | Tier B: $645 | Tier C: $548 | Tier D: $419
Limited to 12 participants
What does it mean to “transform?” Do all transformations happen in the same way? What changes do we experience as humans? Join us this Fall to study the intricacies of change and transformation in the natural world. We will learn about changes among plant life, the animal kingdom, soil and substrates, planetary history, chemicals and more! Our world is constantly changing, and if we train our senses finely enough, we will be able to sense our own transformations occurring right in tune with the Earth’s.

Homeschool II: CSI Nature Detectives
2024-11-12 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-11-19 10:00 - 14:00
Homeschool II: CSI (Children Science Investigators) Nature Detectives
with Alanna Johnston-Rutledge
Grades 4 – 6, Ages 9 – 12
Tuesdays 10 AM – 2 PM
September 17 – December 10
(No program October 22, November 26 for Discovery Days. No program Nov 5 for election day)
Fee per Child: Tier A: $773 | Tier B:$645 | Tier C:$548 | Tier D:$419
Limited to 12 participants
Put on your detective hats, because it’s science investigation time! Nature has many mysteries for us to explore: Why do leaves change color in the fall? What can we learn from an animal’s bones? What makes static electricity? How do trees think? We will be investigating these cases and many more. We will learn investigative skills, ask questions and solve puzzles about the world around us. This program will feature field trips, engineering challenges, games, crafts, journaling, and more.

Nature Play Afterschool
2024-11-12 15:30 - 17:30, 2024-11-19 15:30 - 17:30
with Jeff Mazur
Grades 1 – 3
Tuesdays, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
September 10 – December 17 (no program November 5)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$447 | Tier B-$372 | Tier C-$316 | Tier D-$242
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.
