If you are interested in a Virtual Field Trips for grades 7-12, please email our School Programs Supervisor Kat at kmaurer@highparknaturecentre.com.
Please ensure you’ve read and understood our registration policy before you book a virtual or in-person field trip, which includes:
Great for Virtual or Brick-and-Mortar classes!
Our Virtual Field Trips consist of two parts:
1. A synchronous session:
Where students are led through a 1-hour STEM program by experienced Nature Centre interpreters through slides, pictures, short videos, discussions and games! Students will have lots of opportunities to engage with our Nature Centre interpreters.
2. The STEM learning package for teachers and students for Grades 1-6 includes:
Winter Birds of the City
Toronto has a huge diversity of birds! Learn about our feathered neighbours: which birds will stick around all through the winter and how they survive. In this program students will learn to identify common birds of the city by sight and by sound, as well as examine the amazing behavioural and structural adaptations that help birds survive a cold Canadian winter! (1 hour)
Publicly funded schools: $100/class
Privately funded schools: $150/class
Program Length
-60-75 minutes long for Grades 1-6
-45-60 minutes for Kindergarten classes
Weekly availability
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Thursday, Friday
10:00 am - 11:00 am
A projector or smartboard
A computer (desktop or laptop)
An internet connection (strong wifi connection will do!)
A webcam is optional, but will result in the best audio/visual
OR a laptop with a camera and mic
You may choose to use speakers for the best audio quality
*Please place webcam/computer at the front of the classroom, but off to the side so that all or the most number of students as possible are visible to our interpreters.*
In-person field trips begin outside High Park Nature Centre located at 375 Colborne Lodge Drive. Each program will be completely outdoors (except for washrooms).
All programs include a hike, lively discussion and fun activities and games to get students thinking, caring and learning about the natural world all around us that we are part of!
*Please note the Nature Centre is not able to accommodate classes inside for lunch at this time.
Tracks and Tales
Grade 1-6
Which animals remain in Toronto in the winter? How do they survive the cold winter days? Learn about winter animals and their adaptations for survival by learning to decipher tracking clues left by Toronto's diverse winter animals!
Urban Biodiversity
Grade 4-8
Students will explore the amazing biodiversity of Toronto's flora and fauna. Students will gain insight on the roles critters and plants play in an urban ecosystem with a trivia game through the forest, stopping to look at the animal architects that shape the park and a food web predator and prey game!
All In-person programs will meet outside the High Park Nature Centre at 375 Colborne Lodge Drive.
Our In-person winter programs are all 1.5 hours long.
Weekly availability:
Tuesday, Wednesday
1:00-2:30 pm
Thursday, Friday
10-11:30 am
2022 FEES
Public school: $240
Private school: $300
Teachers are expected to take an active role in managing behaviours of their students.
At the High Park Nature Centre we strive to create a safe, inclusive environment for everyone. We want to work with children and teachers/parents/guardians to overcome challenging behaviours. Our staff use positive reinforcements, empowering language, and friendly reminders of what appropriate behaviour looks like, sounds like, and feels like. However, in some cases a Program Coordinator may need to remove a child from the program and the child may be asked not to return to the Nature Centre that school year. Arrangements will be made with the child’s teacher/parent/guardian to remove them from the program. A refund will not be given in this event. Examples of behaviour that will result in removal include (but are not limited to): violence to themselves or others, bullying, damaging property, refusing to follow safety rules, repeatedly running out of sight, or continued disruption of the program.
The High Park Nature Centre promotes awareness and respect for nature through year-round, hands-on outdoor nature education and park stewardship activities. We strongly believe that an important part of connecting with nature involves responsible, active outdoor play.
At Nature Centre programs, we do engage in activities such as exploring in soil, hiking in the forest and balancing on logs-this often results in getting dirty! Our leaders prioritize safety by establishing clear guidelines with all participants and supervising throughout activities.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about active outdoor play, please talk with us.
