Family and Youth Resources

For Educator and Parent Teacher resources visit: Online Educator Professional Development Workshop Webinars

Please check out our Calendar of Events

Stuck indoors with the family but yearn to get outside or connected to nature each day? Try some of the new and exciting opportunities below – for indoor fun, online experiences, and outdoor adventures. Be sure to practice safe and appropriate social distancing, have fun and stay safe outdoors.
Please routinely visit CT State Parks and Forests and COVID-19 for the latest updates on staying safe during this unsettling time. We are all responsible for doing our part to keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities safe.   

 Virtual Learning Center - Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park (link to external site) Enjoy nature activities from your home and stay connected to Meigs Point Nature Center through:

• Facebook Live Events
• Scavenger Hunts
• Word Finds
• and more!

Wildlife Habitat: A History of Change for Connecticut’s Wildlife Find out how the Connecticut landscape has changed and how DEEP is bringing back these habitats at a special place called the Belding Wildlife Management Area. Learn how natural processes create diverse habitats, of which a wide variety of birds and other animals depend on to find food, water, shelter, and the space to raise young. Explore Connecticut’s Wildlife Printable book to learn about wildlife seen at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area or in other areas around CT. Print out for coloring activities, ideas for physical games like Bat & Moth, scavenger hunts and more that can be done at home, in the yard or other outdoor spaces. Wondering about what kinds of wildlife call Connecticut home? Researching wild animals and interested in learning more about turtles, bobcats, birds, or other CT wildlife? If so, visit our Wildlife Fact Sheets page to learn about CT’s many types of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, or invertebrates - or learn more about endangered species here in our home state. Have to Have a Habitat!
Help create habitats for wildlife at home. Learn the importance of dead trees (called snags) and brush piles for wildlife, how to create butterfly gardens or nest structures, and other ways to enhance a backyard for wildlife by visiting these Wildlife Habitat Fact Sheets.

25 Wildlife Activities You Can Do At Home

The Natural Resources group has put together 25 easy activities you can do in your backyard or neighborhood. Check them out!

Project Wild

Project WILD is a conservation and environmental education activity guide and series of activities for preschool to high school learners. The goal of Project WILD is for learners to develop the knowledge, skills, and awareness to make informed decisions and take action concerning wildlife and the environment. Here is a list of condensed activities adapted for remote learning: 

Lunch For A Bear

What Bear Goes Where Home Away From Home

Wildlife Is Everywhere

 

 For Geology and Paleontological Activities visit the Virtual Activities section on the Dinosaur State Park webpage!

 

Osborne Homestead Museum Virtual Tour

The No Child Left Inside® Program

Please visit the nochildleftinside.org website for information about the Great Outdoor Pursuit 2021 Program.  

Should you have any questions, please email Kristen Bellantuono, No Child Left Inside® Coordinator at:  kristen.bellantuono@ct.gov.

Kellogg Environmental Center provides outdoor educational resources and opportunities year round. To help you explore the outdoors we have provided a collection of nature related activities. Feel free to download and use these the next time you enjoy a walk in your neighborhood, explore a new park or investigate your backyard. Trails at the Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave in Derby, are open for walking. We encourage you to use safe distancing between groups as you enjoy fields, forests, and wetlands. Some of the activities to try include: Beginner Bird Nerd, What Flew By Bingo, Connecticut Raptor Identification, Spring and Summer Bird Picture Guide, Forest Floor Bingo, A General Scavenger Hunt for the Senses.

 Get to Know your Parks

Connecticut State Parks offer many opportunities for visitors to enjoy.  Print out and use these coloring pages to learn what special places, activities, and information the Parks provide to you.  Each page features images of Parks from across Connecticut along with plants, animals and symbols.  See how many Parks you have visited and find new ones to enjoy!

      State Park Coloring Pages I Spy Challenge

Learn what surprises are in store with these I Spy Challenges.

      I Spy Challenge #1  State Symbols

      I Spy Challenge #2  Wildlife

      I Spy Challenge #3  State Parks

 

Boating in Connecticut video series on YouTube

Do you love getting outside and being on the water? Have an interest in boating and outdoor recreation? Are you a teacher looking to provide important life skills for your students? Watch the Better Boating videos, produced by the experts in DEEP's Boating Division. Designed for middle school and high school students, the Better Boating series provides detailed information regarding boating safety tips, laws, and requirements for on-water recreation. This is a great distance-learning resource for Health and Physical Education teachers to share with their students or for families to watch together before getting out on the water this summer.

 

Content Updated: June 2021