Registration for Session 2 has ended.
Our Nature Pod Enrichment Programs are nature-based, outdoor programs for children in pre-K and elementary school. Led by our experienced naturalists and educators, these programs serve three primary goals:
- Offer children time spent outdoors together
- Provide standard-based instruction in science and art, while incorporating other disciplines such as reading, writing, and physical education
- Connect children to the wonders of nature on Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve, our bucolic, 170-acre outdoor classroom
A typical day in a Nature Pod program consists of a daily STEM challenge, outdoor exploration, age-appropriate reading and writing/drawing, games and crafts. Children may attend on a week-to-week basis or may sign up for the entire 5-week fall session.
RHA’s Nature Pod Enrichment Programs will be held in Flemington on Mondays and in Gladstone on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Cost: $40 per child, per program. The price is reduced to $33 per child when signing up for the full 5-week fall session ($165 total).
We will also be offering once a month weekend programs for children in grades k-5! See below for details.
Would you like to sign up your own neighborhood/friend/family pod for a session with an RHA naturalist? Contact Lauren at ltheis@raritanheadwaters.org for more details including scheduling and pricing.
At Hunterdon Land Trust, the Historic Dvoor Farm, 111 Mine Street in Flemington
Grades k-3 – Mondays from 2 to 4:30 pm:
Exploring Dvoor Farm’s trails, the Walnut Brook and surrounding habitats! Children will discover the wonders of weather and climate, animal adaptations, and charismatic creatures! Mondays, November 9, 16, 30, December 7 and 14
At Raritan Headwaters, Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve, 2121 Larger Cross Road in Gladstone
Pre-K (ages 3 and up) – Tuesdays from 2 to 4:30 pm:
Hands-on exploration and “teachable moments” provide positive memories and growing experiences. Tuesdays, November 3, 10, 17, 24, and December 1
Grades k-2 – Wednesdays from 2 to 4:30 pm:
Exploring Fairview Farm’s trails and habitats, children will discover the wonders of weather and climate, animal adaptations, and charismatic creatures! Wednesdays, October 28, November 4, 11, 18, and December 2 (note: skips November 25)
Grades 3-5 – Thursdays from 2 to 4:30 pm:
Each day includes delving into the the Scientific Process, and will include read-alouds, thinking about the local community as a Biome, adaptations and more. Children will become citizen scientists, gathering data in the stream and participating in the Monarch Monitoring Network! Thursdays, October 29, November 5, 12, 19, and December 3 (note: skips November 26)
Saturday Programs for k-5: Sorry, these programs are SOLD OUT. We will add more sessions in 2021!
(All Saturday programs take place at Raritan Headwaters, Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve, 2121 Larger Cross Road in Gladstone)
Saturday, September 12 from 10 am to 2 pm: Meet the River!
Explore the wonders of water as we observe the adaptations of creatures in and around the stream and pond.
Saturday, October 17 from 10 am to 2 pm: Spooky Critters!
Learn about bats, spiders, owls and other amazing creatures of the night.
Saturday, November 14 from 10 am to 2 pm: Survival Skills for Kids
From constructing a debris hut to building a campfire to making our own survival kits – we’ll have fun learning how to survive in the wild!
Saturday, December 12 from 10 am to 2 pm: Wonders of Winter
As seasons change there is so much to learn and observe; in this session we will explore the habitats of Fairview Farm and discover how wildlife adapts to winter!
Health and Safety
Health and Safety protocol for Nature Pods will include:
- Daily temperature checks for all children and staff
- Frequent hand washing
- Disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces and bathrooms
- Reduced sharing of exploration tools and craft items
- Masks will be worn at all times
Meet the Educators:
Alyssa Dixon
As a new special education teacher, Alyssa spends her first years out of college viewing the natural world as a place of inclusion, possibilities and non-judgement. She remembers fondly her own experiences as a child allowed healthy amounts of outdoor time to get dirty and understand natural processes through real interaction. She is still privileged to call central New Jersey her home, where she gardens and continues to grow in stewardship. Alyssa enjoys nothing more than the opportunity to guide children to a similar love for their communities, and she envisions her classroom as a place where children question, build reasoning, cooperate and belong.
Grace Haumersen
Grace is a recent graduate of the University of Delaware, where she majored in Environmental Studies. She quickly learned that outdoor environmental education was something she was passionate about and got involved at RHA as an educator and Nature Day Camp counselor. She is now pursuing a Masters of Arts in Teaching at Montclair State University with a concentration in Earth Science. She looks forward to engaging children of all different backgrounds in interdisciplinary and intersectional programming!