Department of Energy and Environmental Protection No Child Left Inside®

NCLI® Families in the Parks Program 2025

Happy 20th Anniversary to the No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Program! This year families who participate will experience some new activities, events, programs and pop-up events (as well as enjoying some of the ole’ favorites) and meet some new partners and friends. NCLI’s Families in the Parks program continues to expand on the Great Park Pursuit Family Adventure Program by reaching more families and youth, while also extending the season, the locations, and number of activities, events and programs. This year's program will focus on 4 seasonal events/programs in February, May, August and October. Additionally, all families involved will enjoy a wide variety of FREE, fun and educational outdoor recreational opportunities. We encourage all participating to visit State Park and Forest locations for our themed recreational days including, but not limited to: boating, fishing, hiking, a StoryWalk®, Nature Center and Museum Days and much more. You will find the NCLI staff, along with the NCLI Mascots- Nuts, Nuts 2, Nuts Jr. and his friends, at library programs, pop-up event, partner programs as well as at other family-friendly sites across the State of Connecticut. Enjoy time together-reconnecting with the outdoors, nature and each other. The first event of the 2025 NCLI Families in the Parks Program is the Winter Festival Event. This event celebrates all that the Winter Season has to offer. The event will take place on Saturday February 1, 2025 from 10 am to 3 pm at Burr Pond State Park in Torrington, CT. For details and information please visit the CT Parks Calendar of Events at the following: https://ctparks.com/events/winter-festival-2025. Please also be sure to follow the CT State Parks Facebook Page for updates leading up to the Winter Festival Event at the following: https://www.facebook.com/CTStateParks/ Make sure you dress warm for the Winter Festival Event. We look forward to seeing everyone soon!

CT State Parks Centers and Historic Buildings Day Pass

As part of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) No Child Left Inside® initiative, DEEP has provided the main branch public library in each city/town across CT with a CT State Parks Centers and Historic Buildings Day Pass. These passes are used to waive the admission fees at those State Parks where DEEP charges an admission fee to enter a building or museum: Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam and Fort Trumbull State Park and Visitor Center in New London. This pass waives entrance fees for the building, center or museum for two adults and four children (12 years and under). This CT State Parks Centers and Historic Buildings Day Pass cannot be used for camping or special events. Please note that the utility of the library pass changed in 2018 as a result of the Passport to the Parks Program. The pass is no longer needed to cover parking fees at state parks and forests for CT residents, as all CT registered vehicles will be allowed in without a fee. CT residents can visit their local main branch library and borrow the library pass. It is the hope of the NCLI Program that the library pass will allow more CT residents and their families the opportunity to visit the CT State Park Centers and Historic Buildings.

NCLI® and ParkConneCT

Park ConneCT is a collaboration between CT DEEP and CT DOT. This year, NCLI® will be piloting a program to provide guided bus excursions to NCLI® events in August. Tentatively, the excursions will be to Dino Day at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, August 3, 2024 and Saltwater Fishing Day at Fort Trumbull State Park in New London, August 10, 2024. If you'd like to join, please complete our "Interest Form."