Field trips for preschool and kindergarten children include 90-minute lessons plus time to explore our indoor Discovery Center and enjoy your lunch in our picnic area.

Storybook Stroll

Weaving together imagination and experience, we read a story and hike through the forest to look for signs of animals in nature.

Sensory Nature Ramble

Like the animals of forest and field, students will use their senses to explore the natural world.

First Look at a Pond (April – November)

Dip-nets and buckets in hand, students will explore the diversity of life in and around our ponds.

Seasonal Nature Exploration

A trail hike and program highlighting the features of the season in which you visit.

Art & Nature

Investigate and interpret the natural world through art. After exploring the outdoors, students will create artworks using natural materials they have collected during their explorations.

Field trips for grades 1-3 consist of a two-hour lesson exploring the Schuylkill Center’s natural areas with our environmental educators.

Forest Free Play

A unique chance for students to explore our pine grove forest, build nature forts, climb trees, and much more. This program offers students the opportunity to let their imagination guide them during unstructured time in the forest.

Pond Community (April – November)

Dip-nets and buckets in hand, students will explore the diversity of life in and around our ponds.

Habitat Hike

Explore the field, forest, and pond habitats to discover who calls the Schuylkill Center home and how they find their food, water, shelter, and territory.

Incredible Insects (April – November)

Get up close and personal with one of the most diverse groups of creatures on the planet! Students explore fields, ponds, and forests to study insect features and behaviors.

Art & Nature

Investigate and interpret the natural world through art. Students will explore outdoors and create artworks using natural materials collected during their explorations.

Photo Credits: Bastiaan Slabbers

Forest Free Play

A unique chance to explore our pine grove forest, build nature forts, climb trees, and much more. *This program is offered as a half-day only.* It can be combined with another half-day program or implemented as a standalone half-day program.

Climate Change and Sustainability Program

Schuylkill Center educators deliver a unique interactive lesson teaching students about the various aspects of climate change. Our goal is to empower future generations to make sustainable choices in their daily lives.

Aquatic Ecology & Water Quality

Students learn about watersheds and the impact of human activity on our waterways, examine stream critters under a microscope, and conduct pollution experiments. Students also do a water quality assessment at a pond or stream.

Ecosystems & Adaptations

This program reinforces the concept that every species has a unique set of characteristics that help it survive. Students learn how the environment influences a species’ physical features and behavior through the process of natural selection.

Art & Science

Enhance your students’ understanding of the natural world through art. Students interpret natural science learning in their field explorations into an art project they take home.

Incredible Insects (April – November)

Get up close and personal with one of the most diverse groups of creatures on the planet! Students explore our forests, ponds, and fields to learn about the physical features and behaviors of insects.

Seeds to Trees to Soil (March – November)

Trees are vital to our ecosystem, absorbing carbon dioxide, cooling the earth, and providing important animal habitats. Students study the forest ecosystem and the life cycle of trees.

Soil: Digging Deeper (March – November)

Students will get their hands dirty and explore soil and the nutrients that cycle through it and into plants.

Forest Free Play

A unique chance to explore our pine grove forest, build nature forts, climb trees, and much more.

*This program is offered as a half-day only.* It can be combined with another half-day program or implemented as a standalone half-day program.

Climate Change and Sustainability Program

Schuylkill Center educators deliver a unique interactive lesson teaching students about the various aspects of climate change. Our goal is to empower future generations to make sustainable choices in their daily lives.

Aquatic Ecology & Water Quality

Learn about watersheds and the impact of human activity on our waterways, examine stream critters under a microscope, and conduct pollution experiments. Students also conduct a water quality assessment at a pond or stream.

Ecosystems & Adaptations

Every species has a unique set of characteristics that enables it to survive in its habitat. Students learn how the environment influences a species’ physical features and behavior through the process of natural selection.

Art & Science

Enhance your students; understanding of the natural world through art. Students will interpret natural science learning during their field explorations into an art project that they can take home.

Biodiversity

Learn the methods scientists use to measure biodiversity and why it is vital to the health of the environment and the quality of human life.

Wetlands Ecology (March – November)

Students will discover the importance of wetlands as they experience firsthand the features and functions of wetlands.

Incredible Insects (April – November)

Learn about the physical features and behaviors of insects that inhabit the forest, ponds, and fields.

Seeds to Trees to Soil (March – November)

Trees are vital to our environment, absorbing carbon dioxide, cooling the earth, and providing important animal habitat. Students focus on the forest ecosystem and the life cycle of trees.

Soil: Digging Deeper (March – November)

Students will get their hands dirty while studying soil, the nutrients that cycle through it, and its relationship to plants.

Photo Credits: Margaret Clarkson

Half-day programs (10:00 am – noon): $12/student, $240 minimum

Full day programs (10:00 am – 1:30 pm): $14/student, $240 minimum

Philadelphia public schools visit for free!

School District of Philadelphia schools are eligible for free field trips at the Schuylkill Center and outreach programs held at your school. Funds are limited, so reserve your program today!

Thank you to the Allen Hilles Fund, Christopher Ludwick Foundation, PECO-Exelon, and Charities Aid Foundation for supporting free field studies and buses for Philadelphia School District schools.