Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

Do you love science and nature? Do you want to see what the Hitchcock Homeschool program is all about? Sign up for our Discovery Days, our one-time programs about science and nature. In a mixed-age setting, we explore cool topics at the Hitchcock Center, meet science experts, and sometimes go on field trips. Our Discovery […]

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

Join Ted for a presentation where we will look more closely at some of the birds that will choose to live in your yard and garden, if you create the right habitat for them. We’ll review the special lives of some of these birds and then talk about plantings and other means of attracting birds […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities that each girl can participate in […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

Come meet our newest educator – our building! It is designed to model systems in nature, it is net zero energy, net zero water, has composting toilets, and has been made with responsibly sourced non-toxic materials, come check it out at one of our bi-monthly tours. Tours typically last from 1-1.5 hours. Note: We are […]

Join Scott Surner for the 2019 winter and early spring birding class. This year because of Scott’s schedule we have him from January through mid- April. This will give participants an opportunity to explore the winter birdlife here in the valley as well as along the north shore of Massachusetts. As March approaches we’ll start […]

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

Ed Fallon will discuss and sign his book Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim. The book is Fallon’s memoir from the 2014 march from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, when a core of 35 marchers walked 3,100 miles in eight months. Three western Massachusetts residents who participated in the March are featured in the book. Ed Fallon was […]

They don’t use blueprints or fancy tools, but animals can be amazing builders by using natural materials like leaves, sticks and even spit! Whether it’s for nests, homes, camouflage or catching prey, animals have a lot of reasons for their architecture. At this homeschool session we will explore the construction skills of animals and build […]

Spring is an amazing time of year! As the natural world begins to wake up from winter there are lots of changes happening. As part of Spring into Citizen Science – we will become researchers. Working with scientists on local and national science projects, collecting data that matters! For this homeschool series we will dive […]

Join us for our annual count of the tennis-ball sized jelly egg masses laid by the female salamanders in the red maple swamp just west of Henry Street. Counting these groups of eggs is a more reliable way of estimating the size of a population for these animals, since the animals move at various times […]

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

Join Scott Surner for the 2019 winter and early spring birding class. This year because of Scott’s schedule we have him from January through mid- April. This will give participants an opportunity to explore the winter birdlife here in the valley as well as along the north shore of Massachusetts. As March approaches we’ll start […]

Nicole Friederichs and Cedric Woods have been on the front line of many Native tribal struggles in Massachusetts and beyond. They will discuss current Native rights issues and some of the difficulties blocking the recovery of tribal lands and the recognition of tribes in our area. Professor Friederichs has graduated many Suffolk Law students from […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities that each girl can participate in […]

Making Love While Farming: A Field Guide to a Life of Passion and Purpose (Levellers Press, 2019) is the savory story of a couple who challenged convention to shape a self-created life and grow a loving relationship and family. Their vision blossomed Seeds of Solidarity Farm and Education Center–a solar powered oasis and renowned organization […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

Join us for seasonal nature and science programs each second Saturday of the month. Designed for children with their parents, these programs will explore cool topics in nature. April 13: Sounds of Spring Ribbit-Ribbit, Tap-Tap-Tap. Can you hear that? Spring has arrived and everyone is talking about it! Spring is a noisy time in the […]

Members of the Belchertown-based Quabbin Art Association will exhibit new works. Now in its third year, Quabbin Art Association provides education, support, and opportunity for local artists, and promotes community interest and appreciation in the visual arts. To learn more about QAA members, or to join the organization, visit their website. Stop by the gallery […]

This spring we are creating our Discovery Yard and Teaching Gardens and we need your help. The Colleen Kelley Discovery Yard will include natural play structures, log balance beams, a play thicket, a StoryWalk path, and benches and picnic tables for visitors and families to gather. Situated across from the main entrance to our Visitor […]

Spend your days off from school learning and playing outside at the Hitchcock Center! We’ll explore topics in spring ecology while playing games, making crafts and spending time with our live animals. Sign up for as many days as you wish. Limited to 15 participants per age group Monday through Friday, 8:30am-3:00pm April 15-19 Ages […]

Spend your days off from school learning and playing outside at the Hitchcock Center! We’ll explore topics in spring ecology while playing games, making crafts and spending time with our live animals. Sign up for as many days as you wish. Limited to 15 participants per age group Monday through Friday, 8:30am-3:00pm April 15-19 Ages […]

Spend your days off from school learning and playing outside at the Hitchcock Center! We’ll explore topics in spring ecology while playing games, making crafts and spending time with our live animals. Sign up for as many days as you wish. Limited to 15 participants per age group Monday through Friday, 8:30am-3:00pm April 15-19 Ages […]

Come meet our newest educator – our building! It is designed to model systems in nature, it is net zero energy, net zero water, has composting toilets, and has been made with responsibly sourced non-toxic materials, come check it out at one of our bi-monthly tours. Tours typically last from 1-1.5 hours. Note: We are […]

Spend your days off from school learning and playing outside at the Hitchcock Center! We’ll explore topics in spring ecology while playing games, making crafts and spending time with our live animals. Sign up for as many days as you wish. Limited to 15 participants per age group Monday through Friday, 8:30am-3:00pm April 15-19 Ages […]

Spend your days off from school learning and playing outside at the Hitchcock Center! We’ll explore topics in spring ecology while playing games, making crafts and spending time with our live animals. Sign up for as many days as you wish. Limited to 15 participants per age group Monday through Friday, 8:30am-3:00pm April 15-19 Ages […]

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

They don’t use blueprints or fancy tools, but animals can be amazing builders by using natural materials like leaves, sticks and even spit! Whether it’s for nests, homes, camouflage or catching prey, animals have a lot of reasons for their architecture. At this homeschool session we will explore the construction skills of animals and build […]

Spring is an amazing time of year! As the natural world begins to wake up from winter there are lots of changes happening. As part of Spring into Citizen Science – we will become researchers. Working with scientists on local and national science projects, collecting data that matters! For this homeschool series we will dive […]

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities that each girl can participate in […]

Natalie Baillargeon Photo Chris Linder Due to climate change, the Arctic is experiencing an increase in wildfires. It is known that wildfires are going to alter the ecosystems; however, the specific biogeochemical impacts are unknown. Natalie Baillargeon and Rhys MacArthur participated in an expedition to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, AK last summer and begun a collaborative […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

Join Dan Ziomek in a variety of local habitats during peak birding migration. Dan Ziomek birding with a program participant. with Dan Ziomek, WRSI’s Bird Songs Saturdays: April 27, May 4, 11, 18, 7am – 12pm Members $90 Non-members $115 Space is limited, Please register

Hitchcock has been a part of this festival since the beginning, come learn about all the amazing folks helping us build a more sustainable future. Saturday, April 27, 10am – 4pm Amherst Town Common  

This spring we are creating our Discovery Yard and Teaching Gardens and we need your help. The Colleen Kelley Discovery Yard will include natural play structures, log balance beams, a play thicket, a StoryWalk path, and benches and picnic tables for visitors and families to gather. Situated across from the main entrance to our Visitor […]

Join us for our sixth year of offering an in-depth natural history course for naturalists and citizen scientists. Each month, in our series of nature explorations with different local naturalists, we explore a focused, seasonal, natural history topic. We’ll look at nature in new ways, varying from broad habitat-wide perspectives to the finer details of […]

Learn how and/or where to fix broken items instead of tossing them into a landfill and buying replacements. The participants and facilitators are local community members just like you. You bring a broken item that you want help repairing as well as a willingness to try to fix it. There will be repair facilitators on-hand […]

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

They don’t use blueprints or fancy tools, but animals can be amazing builders by using natural materials like leaves, sticks and even spit! Whether it’s for nests, homes, camouflage or catching prey, animals have a lot of reasons for their architecture. At this homeschool session we will explore the construction skills of animals and build […]

Spring is an amazing time of year! As the natural world begins to wake up from winter there are lots of changes happening. As part of Spring into Citizen Science – we will become researchers. Working with scientists on local and national science projects, collecting data that matters! For this homeschool series we will dive […]

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During […]

Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities that each girl can participate in […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time! With Colleen Kelley Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend […]

Did you know the Hitchcock Center is a Living Building? It is designed to model systems in nature, it’s net zero energy and water, has composting toilets, and has been made with responsibly sourced non-toxic materials. Come find out what makes our building a special teaching tool empowering visitors to ask, "what does sustainability look […]

Self-organization is a natural process—that, as a system grows it also becomes more complex. The complexity is derived from the components of the system, such as species in an ecosystem which become ever more specialized through time and tightly integrated together creating systems that are energy efficient, resilient, and stable. The talk will focus on […]

Join Dan Ziomek in a variety of local habitats during peak birding migration. Dan Ziomek birding with a program participant. with Dan Ziomek, WRSI’s Bird Songs Saturdays: April 27, May 4, 11, 18, 7am – 12pm Members $90 Non-members $115 Space is limited, Please register  

9:00am – Reading the Forested Landscape This slide show presentation will introduce people to the ample visual evidence that can be seen in the woods to unravel former agricultural, logging, or wind histories in our forests. Using the shapes of trees, where scars are found on their trunks, stump decay patterns, the construction of stone […]