Recreational Groups

Available Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting.

Bring the learning outside and discover an adventure of prehistoric proportions! During this enrichment activity, your group has the freedom to explore our entire outdoor adventure park at your leisure.

You will enjoy access to:

• Over 40 life-sized dinosaurs with touch-and-learn stations and educational displays
• 1.5 miles of pristine nature trails circumventing a 7-acre lake
• A new animatronic dinosaur exhibit
• The mammoth-sized a“MAZE”asaurus
• The innovative Monty’s Playground
• A towering, active volcano
• Shaded picnic tables for lunch

What a great way to spend the entire day!

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

Available Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting.

Bring the learning outside and discover an adventure of prehistoric proportions! During this enrichment activity, your group has the freedom to explore our entire outdoor adventure park with Splashpad® at your leisure.

You will enjoy access to:

• Over 40 life-sized dinosaurs with touch-and-learn stations and educational displays
• 1.5 miles of pristine nature trails circumventing a 7-acre lake
• A new animatronic dinosaur exhibit
• The mammoth-sized a“MAZE”asaurus
• The innovative Monty’s Playground
• A towering, active volcano
• Shaded picnic tables for lunch
• New England’s largest Splashpad®

What a great way to spend the entire day!

Large groups must be sub-divided for Splashpad® use at scheduled intervals.

Shoes are required by all on the Splashpad®.

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

In this fun activity, students start their own rock and mineral collections! They use their hands to dig for crystals, minerals, and polished stones hidden in our simulated silver mines! The best part is they get to keep it all!

Available year round.

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

Duration: 20 minutes*

• Dig Time: 10 minutes
• *An additional 10 minutes is applied to account for time overage, movement of groups, and packing of discovered treasures

Recommended for ages 4 & up.

Children under age 3 are not permitted for safety reasons.

All children must be out of diapers of any kind to participate.

In this fun activity, students start their own rock and mineral collections! They use their hands to dig for crystals, minerals, and polished stones hidden in our simulated silver mines! Then, accompanying instructors and trained Nature’s Art Village staff help them sort and identify their treasures. The best part is they get to keep it all!

Available year round.

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

Duration: 45 minutes

• Dig Time: 10 minutes*
• Identification Time: 25 minutes
• *An additional 10 minutes is applied to account for time overage, movement of groups, and packing of discovered treasures

Recommended for ages 4 & up.

Children under age 3 are not permitted for safety reasons.

All children must be out of diapers of any kind to participate.

Students travel back in time to 1849 – the beginning of the California Gold Rush! They learn the technique of panning and find as many pyrite “fool’s gold” nuggets as they can! We give them each a prospector’s pouch in which to keep their riches!

Available year round!

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

Duration: 20 minutes*

• Panning Time: 10 minutes
• *An additional 10 minutes is applied to account for time overage, movement of groups, and packing of discovered riches

Maximum 20 students panning at one time.

Recommended for ages 3 & up.

Children under age 3 are permitted at chaperone discretion.

Students work together as a team of paleontologists to uncover and identify a life-sized recreation dinosaur skeleton in our simulated Southwest dig sites! A trained Nature’s Art Village staff member leads the team and educates the children about the dinosaur they discover! A worksheet about the dinosaur they find will allow for the educational fun to continue back at school and at home!

Available year round!

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

Duration: 30 minutes*

• Dig Time: 20 minutes
• *An additional 10 minutes is applied to account for time overage, movement of groups, and answering questions

Recommended for ages 4 & up.

Children under age 3 are not permitted for safety reasons.

All children must be out of diapers of any kind to participate.

The children in your group will love learning about nature’s lottery tickets! They learn how geodes are formed and opened then watch as one is cut in half right before their eyes. Child pairs then randomly select a pre-cut Friendship Geode and each take half home!

Available year round!

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

Duration: 30 minutes*

• Geode Lesson & Cutting: 10 minutes
• Geode Selection: 10 minutes
• *An additional 10 minutes is applied to account for time overage, movement of groups, and Friendship Geode selection/packing

Take a historic walk back through time and discover a wide variety of exhibits that showcase the rapid transformation of  American technology from steam engines to search engines!  Your group will find marvels of engineering and stunning, little known artifacts which served as the cornerstone of many of today’s modern conveniences.

Tour groups are led by our knowledgeable trained interpreters who are ready to answer any questions you have!

When your tour is finished you may enjoy the museum for as long as you’d like!

Available year round!

Ask about our special recreational group rates!

Tour Duration: 45 minutes*

• Tour duration is dependent upon number of questions from the children.

Yes, everyone entering the park will receive a bracelet, which allows re-entry on that day.

It has been known to rain occasionally in Montville, CT. The Outdoor Adventure is open rain or shine; the Splashpad® is open seasonally, weather permitting. Please note: deposit refunds are not issued for cancellations; however, we will work with you to reschedule due to severe weather.

Please allow at least 1-3 hours to visit the Outdoor Adventure and an additional 1-2 hours for the Splashpad®. Allow 30 minutes for each Indoor hands on museum Activity.

Comfortable clothing, walking shoes and bottled water for the trails and Indoor Activities. Water shoes or flip flops are required on the Splashpad® and bathing suits, change of clothes and towels are recommended.

Bagged lunches may be brought inside the Outdoor Adventure area with paid admission and enjoyed at our picnic tables on a first come first serve basis. Groups are responsible for storage of bagged lunches, coolers, etc. and making sure all trash is thrown in the provided receptacles. Note: Bagged lunches may not be eaten indoors. There is a free picnic area just outside the Ice Cream Shop.

You will have a trained instructor to assist you with any indoor activities. Your Outdoor Adventure is self guided. Staff members are available for assistance.

Indoor hands on museum activities are wheelchair accessible. Handicapped children may have an adult help them in the Jackpot Mine, Thunder Creek and/or the Bone Zone. Wide- wheeled strollers and wheelchairs are recommended for the natural packed gravel trails outdoors.

Chaperones must be at least 18 years of age and must stay with their group at all times. One chaperone is required for every 12 students in your group and is admitted to the Outdoor Adventure at a reduced rate. Additional chaperones must pay Outdoor Adventure admission if visiting that area. Indoor activities are free to observe; participating chaperones must pay fee.

A non-refundable deposit of $100 (minimum) is required to hold the requested date. There are no deposit refunds for cancellations, but your deposit can be credited to your account in the event of a weather-related postponement. We appreciate advanced notice of three weeks if possible when reserving a date. Deposits may be paid by check, cash, or credit card (excluding American Express). We appreciate if checks are made payable to “Nature’s Art” and include your school’s name on the memo line.

Minimum 20 participants for group rate eligibility