Birthday Parties

Children enjoy an exciting and educational birthday party for their special day!

A one-hour program is lead by one of our environmental educators for your party at the nature center. After the program you and your guests will have one half-hour to enjoy your refreshments outside in our Education Pavilion. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of the nature center your child's special day will be one of exploration, learning, and fun.

Invitations and directions to TNC are available on-line for you to print and distribute to your guests. Invitations remind guests of the planned activities so participants can dress appropriately.

TNC Birthday Programs Presenter Birthday Programs
(Animals & Dinosaurs)		 Birthday Party Fees
Birthday Scheduling and  Information  TNC Rules Directions
Sponsor a Species (Great gift idea)

TNC Birthday Programs
All Programs are 1 hour
 Offered Every Day
Some programs are seasonal, discuss topic when scheduling.

If a subject of interest to you does not appear below, please contact the Education Director for more information!

Pre-school and Kindergarten Programs
Ages 3-5 years old

Kindergarten– 8th Grade Programs
Ages 6-13 years old
TNC Invitation (PDF Format)

Pre-school and Kindergarten Birthday Programs

*Programs have an additional fee

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Presenter Birthday Programs
All Programs are 1 hour
 Offered Every Day

Want your child's Birthday Party here in the natural setting of TNC but with an alternate program?
TNC offers birthday programs through other education based companies, for an additional cost. We will schedule your program with one of the following companies and you will have use of our space for your party time.

Animal Presenter Program
 Ages 3 & Up		 Dinosaur Presenter Program
 Ages 3 & Up

Animal Presenter Program

Snakes-n-Scales and Turtle Tales:
 Presents a unique animal experience as they bring beautiful, live animals to educate and entertain your child for their birthday party. Their experienced educators are trained animal experts who will safely help children learn about each animal as they see it up close. With opportunities to touch some of the animals your guests will feel it's reality and hopefully someday, when they look back on this birthday, remember and understand that these creatures are our neighbors in the natural world. Below is a list of some of the programs offered by this presenter.  Please feel free to call us for more program details.

  1. The Strange World of Reptiles (For children ages 3 and older)
     This is our most popular show with the four types of reptiles visiting right in your living room. Most of these animals can be touched under the watchful eyes of our instructor. We might bring lizards like a Bearded Dragon, or a Blue-Tongued Skink; for turtles you might meet a African Tortoise or Red-foot Tortoise, a big Boa Constrictor or an amazing Burmese Python will represent the snakes, and as something only Snakes-N-Scales can bring to you, a baby Alligator. Only the Snakes-N-Scales teacher can touch the Alligator but you can see it very closely! We'll talk about the specialties of each and what they eat, joke about things they do and find out if these creatures make good pets.

  2. Kingdom of the Cold-Bloods (For children ages 4 and older)
     This show is similar to "The Strange World of Reptiles" with lizards, snakes and turtles. But this program also introduces the party to amphibian life with frogs and toads. This gives the show a wider variety of animals, though frogs and toads cannot be touched by the audience.

  3. The Good, the Icky and the Slimy (For children ages 5 and older)
     Bugs and spiders along with frogs and snakes are thought to be "icky" by many people. Now of "Fear Factor" factor fame, the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is really nothing to be afraid of. Tarantulas are actually peace loving creatures, scorpions glow in the dark, yes really!, frogs swallow with their eyes and the number of incredible things to be said about snakes are too many to list! (Or if you like, add an Alligator to the list of our crawling friends.)

More options are available please call (201) 568-6093 for more information.

Wallaby Tales:
 The Wallaby Tales Traveling Zoo brings amazing, comical, and educational presentations to venues throughout the northeastern states. See for yourself why schools, families, and countless others have us back year after year, with different animals each and every time. This is where animals, education, and fun collide!

Goody bags can be provided for an additional $4.50 per child.  

  1. ANIMAL FRIENDS (For children ages 3 and older)
    This beginners program created especially for 3 and 4 year olds is designed as a first introduction to animals. Using small, non-threatening animals such as chinchillas, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, children are able to get a first “look and touch” experience with the amazing world of animals.

  2. Mammal Mania (For children ages 5 and older)
    Mammals from around the world will be featured in this program. Behaviors, habitats, adaptations, survival strategies and relationships with humans will be introduced. This program focuses on behavior and adaptation using the life stories of each unique animal, their often humorous personality, fun facts, anecdotes and animal eye-views as instruction.  The main animals presented in this show include the Wallaby, (a small kangaroo), Rabbit, Guinea Pig, and the Patagonian Cavy, (which is related to the mouse, kicks like a mule and looks like a guinea pig on stilts).

  3. WHAT BIG TEETH YOU HAVE!
    Earth’s incredible creatures have to fight tooth and claw in order to scratch out an existence. Whether they possess the sharp claws of the raccoon-like Coatimundi, the sharp senses of Fennec Fox, the terrible teeth of the tiny short-tailed Opossum or the ridiculous flexibility of the Ferret, all predators must be resourceful, alert and adaptable in order to survive in the circle of life.

  4. WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK!
    Many mammals have developed amazing characteristics to avoid becoming "lunch."  A few of the “prey" animals we’ll look at are the Skunk with its well known putrid smell, the Porcupine with its incredibly sharp quills and the Armadillo with a plated back made of hair. These creatures show just some of the self defense tools used “When Animals Attack”!

More options are available please call (201) 568-6093 for more information.

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Dinosaur Presenter Program

Dinosaurs Rock:
Transform your Birthday Party into a Dinosaur, Fossil & Mineral Museum! Imagine, a Genuine Fossil Dig,  for your birthday here at TNC. Break open crystal filled geodes, pan for gems and minerals, and much more. Several packages to choose from, which include artifacts, goodie bags and more.

Below is a brief description of the packages offered by this presenter.  Please feel free to call us for more program details and pricing information.

  1. LITTLE RAPTORS (For children ages 3-4 years old) . . . . .about $575 For up to 20 children (additional at $15 per child) To add in Goody Bags, Upgraded Dig (10 take-home pieces) and 12-pc Fossil Collection gift for B-day child ask for the SUPER RAPTOR PARTY $645 for up to 20 children (additional at $20 per child)
    Your Little Raptors Dinosaur Birthday Party starts off will a super fun look at some of our most magnificent Dinosaur Fossil Specimens to set the mood.  The greatest "Show-And-Tell" you ever saw! Then your guests will go to our FOSSIL DIG, dig up the skeleton of a Brachiosaurus, and piece it together like a real Paleontologist.  At the same time, they will find some really cooooool genuine fossils and minerals to keep (5 total per child) Then - off the the races!    We'll team up with the T-REX's against the LONG-NECKS Who's gonna Win?!?!?!? And, there's more... The ever famous DINOSAUR EGG HUNT Each child will find a toy Dinosaur Egg on our Hunt And finally, our T-REX FOOT RING TOSS.

  2. Premium Package (For children ages 5 and older) . . . . .about $575 For up to 20 children (additional at $15 per child)
    Your party includes an amazing educational and fun Dinosaur Presentation
    using Museum-Quality Dinosaur, Fossil and Mineral specimens.  Imagine a Real Museum right here at the nature center! Your guests will take home 5-Genuine Fossils of their choice ranging from Dinosaur Bone, Petrified Wood, Fossil Coral, Crinoid Stems, Ammonites, Trilobites, Fossil Shark Teeth and more.     Then, we'll go on a Dinosaur Egg Hunt where your guests will hunt for Dinosaur Eggs - we'll even hatch them at your Dinosaur Party! We'll finish off with a RING TOSS over a Life-Size T-Rex Foot.  Each Dinosaur Party guest will Win A Toy Dinosaur!

  3. Super Premium Package (For children ages 5 and older) . . . . .about $645 For up to 20 children (additional at $20 per child)
    Your get Everything above in Premium Package PLUS ... Dinosaur Goodie Bags loaded with 6+ fun toys.      Why bother spending an hour or more going to the store to find goodie bag items when you can get it from us for 1/2 price!  Goody Bags may include the following: Dinosaur Grabber, Dinosaur Glider, Dinosaur Straw, Dinosaur Tattoo, Dinosaur Ruler, Dinosaur Kaleidoscope, Dinosaur Finger Puppet or other Dinosaur-related item in stock.  UPGRADED DIG -- Your fossil dig will also be loaded with beautifully polished (agate) stones from Brazil, plus sparkling pyrite ("fool's gold") and other great minerals see below...With the Super Premium Dinosaur Party your guests will get to keep Ten (10) Specimens for their very own collection (instead of just 5)As an added bonus, your Dinosaur Birthday Child will receive our Exclusive 12-PC FOSSIL COLLECTION Comes with detailed educational information and items are individually poly-bagged for safe-keeping...Specimens include Dinosaur Eggshell, Baltic Amber and more.

  4. Fossil & Mineral Excavation Package (For children ages 7 and older). . . . .about *$575 For up to 20 children plus $10 per child for Excavation Blocks (additional at $15 per child)
    If you have ever wanted to experience what it's like to be on a real Fossil Dig, then check out our Dinosaurs Rock Excavation Party...The ultimate Dinosaur Party Experience for kids.  We'll start your Dinosaur Party with our Dinosaur Party Presentation.  We create excavation teams where each group works on one of our Huge Exclusive FOSSIL/MINERAL Excavation Blocks, along with their very own digging tool.  Unlike those toy Dig Blocks sold in stores that contain plastic pieces, the DINOSAURS ROCK Excavation Block is chock full of genuine Fossils & Minerals.  Just like a real Paleontologist, guests will excavate their group "block" to find 25-30 unbelievable Fossils and Minerals and some Gemstones to take home.  Your guests will identify their discoveries using our Fossil ID Chart to learn about what they discovered.

More options are available please call (201) 568-6093 for more information.

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Birthday Scheduling and Information
Schedule Early!
 Spring and Fall time slots fill months in advance, but we're open all year.
Call 201-568-6093 to schedule a party this year.

A smaller group will make your child’s program more meaningful.
(Parenting experts suggest limiting invitations to your child’s age plus two).

To discuss programs and possible dates, call the Education Director at (201) 568-6093
or email her a program request form by clicking here she will contact you as soon as possible.

Preparation for your visit

Party Location
Our primary Birthday location is in our covered pavilion which has retractable canvas sides and a fireplace. During inclement weather it is possible to move the party inside in our visitor center.

Preparation for your visit

Arrival and Departure

Supervision

Food at TNC  

Museum/Library

After the program, children may enjoy the museum and library if they are quiet and supervised by adults.  We want each of the over 500 groups we host each year to enjoy nature and the outdoors - but the nature center is a sanctuary, NOT a playground. All groups must observe our rules which are posted on the premises and mailed to you with your confirmation.

Resources for Teachers and Students

TNC’s Library is filled with professional development resources, natural history and reference books and videos for everyone.

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Birthday Party Fees
There is no charge for parents and supervising adults.
Most programs are held entirely outdoors and are given regardless of the weather, except for downpours or blizzards.
Participants should dress accordingly.

TNC Birthday Program & Party (1.5 hours)
20 Children Maximum

 **$250
(complementary TNC family membership included)
Animal Presenter Program & Party (1.5 hours) $460
(complementary TNC family membership included)
Dinosaur Presenter Program & Party (1.5 hours) $575-$650 See above packages
(complementary TNC family membership included)
*Apple Cider Making or Campfire Program (optional) $50
Campfire during party (optional) $50
Plates, Cups, & Forks Rental (optional) $20

**TNC Birthday Program fees will be increasing soon

Pre-payment:

Pre-payment is required for ALL programs. When you schedule a program, a time slot will be reserved for you. Payment must be received within 2 weeks, or the reservation will be cancelled. If you schedule a program within that 2 week period, pre-payment is due three days prior to the program.

Reschedule, Cancel & Refund Information

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