Create a unique birthday party experience for your child to celebrate their special day! Choose a party based their interests and age group.

Your B'Earthday Party Includes

• 3-hour room rental: a two-hour party and 30 minutes at each end for set-up and clean-up.
• An hour-long program and hike led by a naturalist. We offer a variety of themes that will suit your child's interest and accommodate the appropriate age range of the birthday party. 

To arrange your Nature Center B'Earthday Party, please click here to begin the process.

Choose a Program

Amazing Animals Scavenger Hunt | Ages 4-7 | All seasons
We begin indoors with a hands-on introduction to our local animals via pelts, feathers, turtle shells — and some puppet play! Outdoors we look for the animals and their signs such as tracks, nests and burrows. The more clues we find, the more we learn what the animals are doing in the current season. The scavenger hunt difficulty is matched to the age of the group.

Creepy-Crawly Critters | Ages 4-9 | March-November
We will get down and not-so-dirty searching under logs for little critters such as worms, beetles, millipedes, and roly-polies. We may even find a salamander! A healthy forest starts at the ground level and even our youngest guests learn the foundation of forest ecology. We also learn about the food chain as we collect worms to feed to our turtle friend in the lobby and touch a live snake for the grand finale!

I Love Leaves! Scavenger Hunt | Ages 4-9 | September-December
Who doesn’t love the crisp smell of fall with leaves crunching underfoot? It is the perfect time for a hike and an extraordinary season for learning about nature. Animals and plants alike are preparing for winter in dramatic ways that we can readily observe. And one of life’s universal pleasures is, of course, collecting beautiful leaves. Kids and adults alike can gain new appreciation for the natural world by learning to identify our native trees.

Winter Wonderland Scavenger Hunt | Ages 4-9 | November-March
We love exploring in winter, too! It’s a blast to follow animal tracks in a fresh snow to discover what these creatures are doing when we’re not looking! Was the fox stalking a mouse? Was the raccoon raiding the bird feeders? We can learn a lot about what the animals are doing to survive in the cold. Children really feel a sense of adventure as we face the elements and trek through the snowy wilderness. Even if there’s no snow on your special day, there are always mysteries to uncover.

*Jump, Climb, Seek, and Find! | Ages 4-7 | All Seasons
An exciting treasure hunt full of action that kids love, such as speed, balance and age-appropriate climbing. We engage the imagination and the muscles, finding riddles which uncover the superpowers of the creatures who live here. How do human skills compare and what can we learn by moving as they do: can you run and leap like deer, scurry along a giant log like a chipmunk, or jump from stone to stone as fast as a frog? And many more! We will especially enjoy climbing in the new Nature Play Area along the journey. For the final challenge, your vision must be as good as a fox's to spot camouflaged animal art pointing the way to the treasure chest. If you’d like to add some magic to your party, the educators are happy to collaborate with the local Forest Elves. Who else could have hidden the clues if not for the elves? Parents provide toys or treats for the treasure chest, we provide the mystery and adventure! This adventure is available year-round, except for icy days.

*Beautiful Butterflies Scavenger Hunt | Ages 4-8 | June-October
Redesigned! We combine the fun of finding hidden clues with beautiful pictures of the popular topic of the monarch butterfly life cycle. And of course, we look for living butterflies and caterpillar "munch marks" on leaves... all for the delight of your young scientists. The final stage can include the treasure chest if you wish to supply a treat or small toy for each guest. Optional: if your child loves fairies or other magical creatures, our educators will happily collaborate with the magical residents of the forest. This adds an additional element of enchantment for anyone who believes.

Dinosaur Times Scavenger Hunt | Ages 4-10 | April-October
What are some ancient organisms the dinosaurs ate that have changed very little in 65 million years? You might think of ferns and dragonflies (and you're right!) but there are many more “living fossils” to discover. Millipedes, turtles, snails, spiders and pine trees are just a start! Numerous scientific principles are reinforced throughout this exciting scavenger hunt for types of dinosaur food; content will be adapted to be age specific. This hike takes us on a fun turtle hunt at Lower Shaker Lake and ends in the lobby for a hands-on introduction to our reptiles on display.

*Hidden Gem Adventure | Ages 8-12 | All Seasons
A "hidden gem" can be many things and we'll find them all on this intriguing adventure as you and your friends search for hidden clues, solve riddles and collect pieces of a map. The map leads to a treasure chest which is a great place to find gems of sparkly rocks. Along the way, we learn about the animals residing in our four distinct gem-like natural areas.  A "gem" can also mean a good friend. Or even a beautiful bird or flower! There are many treasures to discover -- together! Age 8+ is recommended because the riddles are at a third-grade reading level.

Shelter Building: Survivor Skills! | Ages 7-12 | All Seasons
Children love to build structures in the woods! In this activity, we enhance the adventure by including the steps to build an emergency shelter. Knowledge is a resource we can all travel with as we become empowered to survive an unexpected night in the wild. This program is a fun way to stretch creativity and problem-solving skills. We supply all materials; kids supply the enthusiasm!

Indoor Activities for Inclement Weather
In the case of inclement weather, we have exciting activities available for all ages. The naturalist will begin with a hands-on introduction to our local animals via pelts, feathers, turtle shells, etc. and then a meet-and-greet of our live animals in the lobby. From there, activities shall be age-based. For the younger set we have a magnetic “Fishing for Trash” game. Kids love fishing poles and they get surprisingly excited about cleaning up a pond! For older kids we can do a scavenger hunt in the lobby exhibit and/or play an educational and engaging game called “The Web of Life” which never fails to educate and entertain.

Pricing

3-hour Room rental (weekends only):

• Members $250
• Non-members $300
• ​Programs marked with an asterisk (*) have a $15.00 upcharge

Fees are for parties of 15 children. Siblings of the birthday child age two and under are no additional charge. Maximum attendance is 30 children. For additional children, the following fees apply:

• 16-19 children is an additional $10 per child fee
• For 20-30 children, additional $115 flat fee

Take our Zero Plastic Waste Challenge and save $25! Ask for details when scheduling.

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Renter’s Responsibilities

• Supervise the party
• Make sure the educational items in the room are used properly and put away
• Clean room when the party is over
• A minimum of four adult chaperones are required at all times, including the hike

To arrange your Nature Center B'Earthday Party,
click here to complete the online B'Earthday Party Inquiry Form to begin the process.