Field Trip Programs

More than 1100 groups of area children and scouts come to the Tenafly Nature Center each year. With their boundless curiosity, they touch, observe and listen to the natural world.  This year you can join our professional educators as they bring classroom concepts to life and lead your students in hands-on learning and close observations in a 380-acre living museum.  Programs are designed to help educators meet many of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards and have been developed for students ages 3 and up . 

These programs are designed to be taught at the nature center, however we can bring some of these experiences to your school or another location as an outreach.

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

To Register:

1. Contact 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.

   • Your message should include:

     • Your name

     • School mailing address

     • School phone number

     • Emergency cell phone number

     • Email address

     • Age of students

     • Number of students per group

     • Number of expected adults per group

     • Name of the program

     • Requested date (for faster scheduling have several date options)

     • Requested time for program's (for faster scheduling have several time options)

2. Sign the confirmation form you receive that you receive from the education director that will include all your group information.

3. Mail payment and signed confirmation back to the education director.

Policies:

• Classes larger than 25 students will be charged $4.00 per additional student.

• We make every effort to keep groups small, to optimize individual students’ participation. A maximum of 90 students can be accommodated at TNC at one time. Larger groups can be divided between morning and afternoon or programs can be scheduled over several days.

• In order to obtain adequate number of staff, advance notice of additional students.

• We reserve the right to limit the number of non- registered participants on the trail to the number originally registered on the confirmation form.

• Additional parents, may not attend with prior permission from the education director.

Accessibility at TNC:

Tenafly Nature Center offers programming that is wheelchair accessible.  We ask that you give two weeks notice so that we can accommodate the needs of your group.

Pre-payment Policies:

• Pre-payment is required for all programs.

• Programs scheduled with less than two weeks notice will require pre payment three days prior to the program.

• Payment can be made by your group representative by check, cash, purchase order, or money order (credit cards not accepted).

• It is the duty of the group representative to collect the fee from the participants and we will not accept individual payments from the participants.

Reschedule, Cancel & Refund Information:

• If you have fewer students than what you had originally reserved and paid for, you are still required to pay the full amount agreed upon at the time of registration. Refunds will not be given for less than the original contracted amount of students.
• TNC programs are mostly taught outdoors and are held drizzle or shine.  However, in the event of heavy rain or dangerous temperatures, an alternate indoor  program may be substituted.  If you group must reschedule, you will be responsible for a $50 rescheduling fee.

• If your group must cancel, refunds are based on how far in advance cancellation is from schedule date.

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Trip Rules & Information

Preparation for your visit

• Programs run drizzle or shine. If outdoor conditions are unsuitable or dangerous, a suitable indoor program relating to the scheduled topic or any topic can be substituted.

• Most programs are held outdoors. Participants should dress appropriately for weather!

• Participants should wear sturdy shoes or boots and rain gear when applicable.

• Programs require one teacher per class and one adult chaperone per ten students who may attend for free.

• The same per person fee applies to additional students and parents who wish to attend the program.

• Maximum group size is 30 children.

• Student discipline is the responsibility of the parents, not the staff of TNC.

• Assign students into groups of 25 (or one class) prior to arrival.

For each class, students should show up dressed and prepared to be outside for the majority of the class. A naturalist will lead the group through the activity and teachers are expected to stay as well as assist the group when necessary.  It is important for teachers and parent chaperones to come along and be ready to participate and learn with their children. 

Arrival and Departure

• Directions are available online and will also be mailed with the confirmation.

• It is unsafe to unload or park in the cul-de-sac. You may pull into the nature center parking lot and load and unload in the Parking Area.

• If parking lot is full parents may park on Hudson Avenue and walk into the center.

• Check in with the front desk and they will let you know where to meet your educator.

• You are welcome to walk on the trails, explore the museum room or browse our library before and after class with your children.

• Lessons begin and end at the time listed on the confirmation sheet. 

• Schedule transportation accordingly, and allow time for bathroom breaks, loading and unloading.

Group program rules
The staff at TNC loves questions and we encourage discussions and active participation.  In order for all students to have an optimal learning environment and positive experience we must enforce a few simple rules.

• Please raise your hand when you want to speak
• Respect others. While the naturalist, trail guide or fellow student is speaking, please remain quiet
• Don’t pick, disturb, collect, or take natural mementos home
• Stay on the trails
• For parents that stay for class with younger children or babies, please step outside or the learning area if he/she begins to cry, makes noise, or becomes disruptive

• No bikes or strollers beyond the parking area.

• No smoking or lighting fires
• No littering
• No pets leashed, carried, or otherwise

Food and use of Picnic Area at TNC
Under our covered pavilion TNC has several picnic tables available. If you would like to have lunch here discuss it with the Education Director. 

• Tenafly Nature Center is a “carry-in, carry-out” center. Lunch/snack trash removal is your responsibility. Bring a trash bag for your garbage and take it with you when you leave.

• Do not place any food, plates, cups etc. in the trash cans outside.

• No drink boxes (the straw wrappers tend to escape from students).

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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