Registration for the 2019-2020 school year is open!
New Cancellation Policy for 2019-2020 School Year - 14 days written notice before the date of the scheduled program is required for cancellations. For cancellations that occur less than 14 days before the scheduled program date you will be charged 50% of the original program fee. For cancellations that occur less than 5 business days before the scheduled program date you will be charged 100% of the original program fee. For sponsored class cancellations that occur less than 14 days before the scheduled program date your class will forfeit sponsorship for the next school year.
Cancellation, rescheduling, inclement weather and behavioural policies as well as what to bring on a field trip to the Nature Centre can be found at the bottom of this page.
Like them or leave them, bugs play important roles in our ecosystem. Learn to love bugs by getting to know the insects that live right here in our city!
Students will learn about the role of bugs in our ecosystem and how we classify insects using scientific binomial nomenclature. Students will hike to provincially rare black oak savannah to catch, identify and classify insects as well as plant native grasses and wildflowers to help create healthy habitat for our six-legged friends.
Discover the remnant tracts of rare and endangered black oak savannah that have been sheltered from urbanization within High Park’s boundaries for 135 years. Students will learn about the need for on-going, community-based environmental stewardship of the park’s natural areas by identifying many of the invasive species that are outcompeting native vegetation and affecting the ecological balance in High Park’s woodland, wetland and endangered black oak savannah. In the fall participants will meet and remove common and glossy buckthorn, the wickedest weeds in the woods, as well as other invasives that are threatening the future of the savannah and the park’s biodiversity. In the spring students will pull garlic mustard plants from our forest-and create a dish using this foul foliage. Students will also get their hands dirty planting native grasses and wildflowers in the black oak savannah or woodlands.
Exercise minds and bodies while discovering the wonders of urban nature in Toronto’s crowning jewel, High Park! Using a topographic map, a compass and a bag of simple tools, students will follow an orienteering course through woodland, wetland and oak savannah habitats. Participants will gain valuable teamwork skills while completing group challenges that highlight the park’s diverse natural systems.
* Please ensure that students are prepared and dressed for outdoor programming.
Half-day program: $8 per student A minimum fee of $120 applies to all groups for half-day programs
High Park Through the Seasons (Three Part Program): $7 per student, per visit A minimum charge of $105 (per visit) applies for all High Park through the Seasons bookings. Your class must attend one program in the fall, one in the winter and one in the spring to qualify for the discounted rate.
Maximum 30 students per program. A maximum of 6 adults (including teachers and adult volunteers) participate at no charge.
Morning program: 9:30 – 11:30 am
Afternoon program: 12:30 – 2:30 pm
14 days written notice before the date of the scheduled program is required for cancellations. For cancellations that occur less than 14 days before the scheduled program date you will be charged 50% of the original program fee. For cancellations that occur less than 5 business days before the scheduled program date you will be charged 100% of the original program fee. For sponsored class cancellations that occur less than 14 days before the scheduled program date your class will forfeit sponsorship for the next school year.
14 days notice from the date of the scheduled program is required for rescheduling. Should you need to reschedule, please be aware that we cannot guarantee an alternate date. Any unsuccessful attempt to reschedule your program within 14 days of your program date will result in a cancellation and applicable fee.
Programs will proceed rain, snow or shine. Please remind all participants to dress appropriately for the weather as we will be outdoors for most of the activities. Programs may need to be rescheduled in the case of inclement weather such as thunderstorms, snowstorms or high winds over 35 km per hour. If a program is rescheduled by the High Park Nature Centre, we will contact you by 8:30 AM on the day of the program. We are able to offer fully indoor programming in the case of severe or dangerous weather. If inclement weather prevents you from attending your program, we will do our best to reschedule your visit, however; due to a high volume of bookings, we cannot guarantee an alternative date.
Please wear weather appropriate clothing, including comfortable closed toed shoes and socks (to protect against tics, red ants and poison ivy), a reusable water bottle and an optional nut-free snack.
