Preschool Programs at GVNC
Our mission is to provide the best learning experience
for your preschool group - environmental education
programs that are fun, relevant and will be remembered
for a lifetime. Our carefully designed, themed programs
combine the use of outdoor hikes, live animals, handson activities, stories, and props which spark the natural
curiosity that is within each student. Our dedicated
and enthusiastic tea chers work hard to engage each
group and tailor programs to the group’s specific
needs. Reserve your Great Valley Nature Center Program
today and let us teach you about your outdoor world
- where fun and learning go hand in hand!
Scheduling a Program
Registrations are required for all programs:
1. Please call 610.935.9777 and a program coordinator will help
you to select the appropriate program, time and date. Refer
to pages ten and eleven for program packages and pricing. Our
programs fill quickly and space is often limited. Please call
early to reserve a program.
2. A Confirmation Form will be mailed upon receiving your
reservation, and a non-refundable 50% deposit is required.
The balance is due the day of the program.
*NOTE: For outdoor programs at GVNC please have your
students dress for the weather conditions. Except for
severe weather conditions we will not cancel the program
due to inclement weather. If the weather is unsuitable
for your group you may call at least one hour in advance
to discuss alternatives.
Program Selection
: program offered
at GVNC
: program offered
at your location
Nature’s Rainbow
A program about nature’s colors
A rainbow is full of color and so is the world around us. Your students
will search for colors in flowers, leaves, and other natural objects.
They will discover the reasons that so many leaves are green and
why flowers and berries are so bright and colorful. They will also play
a game about animal colors and explore natural areas for
camouflaged animals.
Sense-ational Stroll
A program for all 5 senses
Your students will use their special discovery tools, their five senses,
to explore the natural world. Activities vary with the season and the
natural surroundings, but may include listening to a “symphony” of
natural sounds, collecting natural items to make a uniquely-scented
“potpourri”, or tasting the food that leaves make (ie sugar). These
hands-on activities focus on each of the five senses and keep students actively engaged while exploring the outdoors in every season.
Nature Discovery Walk
A program for all seasons
Nature Discovery Walks rely on exploration, hands-on activities and
games to create an exciting and educational experience. This
program can be modified to focus on a specific topic such as plants,
animals, insects, and seasons. Let us know if you have a particular
topic of study and we can design a nature walk suitable for your
group.
Maple Sugaring
(mid-February thru mid-March)
The flow of maple sap is the first sign of spring! Bring your students
to GVNC to find out why and visit our authentic Maple Sugar House to
see sap turning into syrup. Listen to a Native American story about
how maple sugaring was first discovered and use a hand drill to see
how to tap a tree. Your students will taste some maple syrup and
maple sugar too. This program is fun and educational for everyone!
: program offered
at GVNC
: program offered
at your location
Animal “Tails”
Children love stories and children love animals. These
may be two of the most important tools early childhood
educators possess. At GVNC, weʼve combined these
two aides to create The “Animal Tails” program series.
In this program students becomes involved in an interactive dramatic re-telling of one of the fabulous nature
stories listed below. Each program is designed to accompany, not replace, your study of a particular story
or concept in your classroom. To enhance the program, games, artifacts and visits from several live animals are also incorporated in the lesson. Simply use
the program menu below to select a story, a concept,
or an animal that you would like your students to enjoy
and learn about - weʼll take care of the rest!
PROGRAM TITLE
PROGRAM FOCUS
FEATURED LIVE ANIMAL
“The Mitten”
A program about
animals in winter
“chinchilla”
“Salamander Room”
“Good Night Owl”
“The Tortoise and The Hare”
“Make Way for Ducklings”
A program about
animal habitats
A program about
nocturnal animals
A program about
animal adaptations
A program that
introduces spring
“salamander”
“owl”
“turtle” and “rabbit”
“bird”
Super Senses
A program about animal adaptations
What animal has the softest fur? Which animal can see the farthest?
What animal smells with itʼs tongue? During this fascinating program
your students will meet some live legendary superheros of the natural
world and learn about the amazing adaptations that allow them to
succeed and thrive in a “wild world”!
Fuzz and Feathers
A program about warm-blooded animals
During this program kids will design a bird with a beak, feathers and
wings as well as a mammal with fur and a tail. Students will not only
learn about what makes a mammal a mammal and a bird a bird, but
they will also investigate bird nests, porcupine quills, feathers and
have an up-close visit with live animals. By the end of the program
students will understand the importance of different animal coverings.
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Special Events
Special Events for Pre-schools at Great Valley Nature Center
“Spring Egg Hunt”
While learning about Spring-time, students will meet live animals and make a special nature
craft to take home. And what could be more fun than to end this spring day with an egg
hunt. All eggs collected will be redeemed for treats. Pre-registration is required. Call for
dates.
“Enchanted Harvest Festival”
Students will meet Winnie the Pooh and help him figure out how to harvest honey from the
bees. Students will also participate in a telling of “The Three Sisters”, a story about the some
important Native American crops. They will also watch a puppet show about animals
getting ready for winter, meet a live animal, and even make a fall craft to take home.
Pre-registration is required. Call for dates.
To Register, please call: 610.935.9777 or email: [email protected]
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Festivals
Festival In the Classroom - 2 hours (limited to one class at a time) - Let us provide a whole day of
fun and learning for your preschool class! Our festivals include stories, crafts, and interactive
learning. Pre and post lesson plans are available. Programs require 2 - 3 adults for supervision.
Lenape Festival
A festival about the traditions,
customs and life of PA’s Native Americans
Itʼs time for your students to strap on their imagination caps as
they travel five hundred years back in time when the very land we
live on today was know as “The Land of the Lenape”! Your
instructor will introduce the basics of Native American life and will
tell an interactive story to kick off the festival. Rotating through
three centers, children will experience hands-on activities that
highlight Native American life of long ago. One stop will take them
to a life-size wigwam where they can dress in Native American
clothes. Theyʼll even play with the toys used by Lenape children.
Students will make a craft to use for the dance at the closing
ceremony!
(Offered during the months of October and November)
Colonial Festival
A festival about the traditions, customs and life of Colonial Americans
This fun-filled festival starts with children playing the role of
pilgrims long ago. After loading a trunk with all of their belongings, kids will take a journey across the ocean to the new world.
Your instructor will talk briefly about what the settlers found when
they came here including the native people already inhabiting this
new world. Children will participate in three different centers. A
colonial kitchen shows them the unique cooking utensils of the
day. Another center gives students a look at tools used for building and here they will have an opportunity to construct a model
log cabin. Finally, they will play with a collection of colonial-style
toys and they will make one of their own to take home!
(Offered during the months of January, February and March)
Festival Pricing
(for classes of 25 students)
2 hour festival
+ material fee
$200
$2 per child
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Packaging Options
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For an added 15 % discount,
consider scheduling one of our packaged program options:
“Exploring the Seasons Package”
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(includes one visit to GVNC and two outreach visits to your location)
Programs include: “Sense-ational Stroll”, “The Mitten”, and “Make Way for Ducklings”
“Pennsylvania History Package”
(includes one visit to GVNC and two outreach visits to your location)
Programs include: “Lenape Festival”, “Colonial Festival”, and “Maple Sugaring”
“Nature Package”
(includes three seasonal visits to GVNC )
Programs include: “Nature’s Rainbow”, “Nature Discovery Walk”, and “Wonderful Water”
“Critters Package
(includes three outreach visits to your location)
Programs include: “Fuzz and Feathers”, “Creepy Crawlies”, and “Good Night Owl”
Pricing
Fees at GVNC Site
1 hour program
$4/person (min. $40)
One adult chaperone for every five students may
attend the program free of charge.
Fees at Your Location
35 minute program
up to 25 people
$100
26 - 50 people
$125
50+ people
$150
-Mileage fee: 50 cents/mile round-trip from
GVNC to your location
-A $25 fee is added for unscheduled time in
between programs
-Additional fee for evenings and weekends
See Festival Page for Festival Pricing
Multiple Program Discounts:
10% off entire fee when scheduling 2 programs per class
15% off entire fee when scheduling 3 programs per class
Life in a Longhouse
A program about local Native
Americans hundreds of years ago
Your students will sit on warm furs in a Lenape longhouse while imagining what it was like to live here long ago. They will grind some corn,
scrape fur off a deer hide, and play some traditional games. By the
end of the visit, they will have an understanding and appreciation for
the original inhabitants of this land.
Wonderful Water
A program about the water cycle
Bring your students to explore life around a pond or stream. Weʼll
make a few scoops with a net to see what we can find, make a
“rainstorm” and play a game to understand the water cycle. Your
students will have a great time while also learning that water is
essential for all life.
Creepy Crawlies
A program that dispels myths and highlights the usefulness of insects, snakes,
spiders and other critters
“Worms, bugs, snakes...YUCK!” This will no longer be your studentsʼ
response after being involved with this creative program where they
meet some of the misunderstood animals in our world. Find out how
we benefit from snakes, why insects and spiders are helpful and even
see what a slimy earthworm home is like!
I’m a Dino Hunter
A program for young paleontologists
What does “sharp-tooth” mean and what can fossils tell us? Through
investigative questions and hands-on time with dinosaur artifacts,
fossils, and modern day reptiles, kids will learn all about the different
dinosaur species, their role in nature and the theories regarding their
mysterious extinction.
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Great Valley Nature Center
P.O. Box 82
Devault, PA 19432
Phone: 610.935.9777
Website: www.gvnc.org
Email: [email protected]
Nature Center Hours:
Open year-round
Monday - Saturday
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Closed Sundays
& Holidays
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
Paid
Devault, PA
Permit No. 11