Summer Guided Discoveries

Guided Discoveries are week-long outdoor natural adventure camps for children ages 4 to 12.Programs, taught by experienced naturalist educators, give children an in-depth exploration of nature and science. We are delighted to offer Guided Discoveries this summer and look forward to a fun and safe experience for everyone.

Guided Discoveries Cancellations... Yours and Ours!

A $25 administration fee will be charged for all cancellations. Cancellations made more than 30 days prior to the start of a session will be issued a full refund (less $25 fee). Cancellations made 14-30 days prior to the session start date will be issued a 50% refund (less $25 fee). Cancellations made less than 14 days prior to the start of a session will not be refunded. If there is low enrollment, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center will cancel week-long programs on the Wednesday prior to the scheduled start date and will fully refund your payment at that time. The Science Center will make every effort to alert participants to possible cancellations one month in advance. Registration and payment may be transferred to an alternative session at no additional cost if space allows. Any cancellations due to COVID-19 illness or quarantine requirements will be refunded in full.

Summer 2022 Guided Discoveries

June 27 - July 1

Woodland Wonders - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
Our explorations will introduce the wonders of woodlands. Through many outdoor activities and discoveries we will explore, enjoy, and learn together.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Things with Wings
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 6-9
How many things can you think of with wings? Explore the world of flight as we learn about birds, insects, mammals, and even plants that take to the sky. Each day we will meet a live animal ambassador that relies on its wings to survive.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Be A Survivor I - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Ages 10-14
Learn bushcraft and the wilderness living skills necessary to survive outdoors comfortably. We will explore knife use and safety, fire making and responsible use, outdoor shelter making, trip planning, and making and using tools like baskets and rope. Learn about our ecosystem in a hands-on way by keeping weather journals, pressing plants, and learning about the animals that inhabit the world around you, including up close encounters with live animal ambassadors.
Children can register for one session or both. Each session will focus on a particular skill. Session I will focus on shelter building. Session II will focus on food and fires. Cost: $300/member; $320/non-member

July 4-8

Adventures in Nature - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
Our adventures will introduce the wonders of the natural world. Through outdoor activities and discoveries we will explore, excite, and learn together.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Building in Nature I - FULL, waitlist available
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 6-9
We will construct a fort village in the midst of trees in the forest, build boats to float on the pond (not human sized!), dam a stream, and even build small scale shelters for tiny make believe creatures!
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Animal Art - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Ages 9-12
Let animals and their habitats serve as your inspiration as we create art from and of nature. Explore the Science Center grounds from the top of Mt. Fayal to the shores of the lower pond as we study form, examine color, and observe light to inform the art we create. Focus on detail through up close encounters with animal ambassadors. Use a variety of media to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional art and share your work at an art show for family and friends.
Cost: $300/member; $320/non-member

July 11-15

Flap, Hop, and Wiggle - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
Flap like a falcon, hop like a hare, and wiggle like a worm! It's all about movement as we explore different groups of animals and focus on the ways they move. Become an expert on animal locomotion through up close observations of our animal ambassadors, outdoor activities, and stories.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Nature Explorers - FULL, waitlist available
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 6-9
From the top of Mt. Fayal to the lower pond, go on an adventure to a new seldom seen location at the Science Center each day. Through games and scavenger hunts, learn about the wild plants and animals that live here. Throughout the week we will meet some animal ambassadors for an up close encounter with local wildlife.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Be A Survivor II - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Ages 10-14
Learn bushcraft and the wilderness living skills necessary to survive outdoors comfortably. We will explore knife use and safety, fire making and responsible use, outdoor shelter making, trip planning, and making and using tools like baskets and rope. Learn about our ecosystem in a hands-on way by keeping weather journals, pressing plants, and learning about the animals that inhabit the world around you, including up close encounters with live animal ambassadors.
Children can register for one session or both. Each session will focus on a particular skill. Session I will focus on shelter building. Session II will focus on food and fires. Cost: $300/member; $320/non-member

July 18-22

Junior Animal Keepers I - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 9-12
Otter popsicles? Training time for a skunk? Treats and puzzles for opossums? Do you love caring for animals? Do you wonder what the Science Center’s animals eat for dinner? Learn how New Hampshire’s wild animals survive. Then apply that knowledge by helping to care for and feed the wildlife at the Science Center. Go behind the scenes to watch staff members train animals and help make puzzles and treats to engage our resident animals.Please note that sessions I & II are identical.
Cost: $160/member; $180/non-member

Sky Hunters - FULL, waitlist available
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
Learn about the hunters that command the skies. Investigate the world of flying predators. Visit with live owls, hawks, and falcons. Meet other airborne predators too, such as dragonflies and bats.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

The Nature of Clay I
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Ages 7-10
Want to take earth and turn it into art? Using wild animal ambassadors and the natural beauty of ponds, fields, and forests as inspiration, we will transform our ideas into ceramic treasures. Under the guidance of Community Clay Center instructors and Science Center staff, explore a variety of ceramic techniques to create functional and sculptural projects.
The ceramic process will be completed at the Community Clay Center in Plymouth. Finished projects will be ready for pickup by August 21. Shipping is available for an additional fee.
Cost: $310/member; $330/non-member

July 25-29

Animal Superheroes - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
You may not consider animals to be superheroes, but they do have super powers. We call them adaptations. Learn about nature's super powers as we explore ways animals find food, avoid being eaten, and protect themselves from the elements. Discover some of these adaptations through experiments, games, and visits with live animals.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Mad Science - FULL, waitlist available
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 6-9
Experience a week of wacky, hands-on, fun as we explore science inspired by the natural world around us. Each day will be filled with mixing, growing, fizzing, bubbling, and more as we ask questions and see what kinds of answers explode around us!
Cost: $160/member; $180/non-member

The Nature of Clay II
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Ages 10-14
Want to take earth and turn it into art? Using wild animal ambassadors and the natural beauty of ponds, fields, and forests as inspiration, we will transform our ideas into ceramic treasures. Under the guidance of Community Clay Center instructors and Science Center staff, explore a variety of ceramic techniques to create functional and sculptural projects.
The ceramic process will be completed at the Community Clay Center in Plymouth. Finished projects will be ready for pickup by August 21. Shipping is available for an additional fee.
Cost: $310/member; $330/non-member

August 1-5

Junior Animal Keepers II - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 9-12
Otter popsicles? Training time for a skunk? Treats and puzzles for opossums? Do you love caring for animals? Do you wonder what the Science Center’s animals eat for dinner? Learn how New Hampshire’s wild animals survive. Then apply that knowledge by helping to care for and feed the wildlife at the Science Center. Go behind the scenes to watch staff members train animals and help make puzzles and treats to engage our resident animals. Please note that sessions I & II are identical.
Cost: $160/member; $180/non-member

Marvelous Mammals - FULL, waitlist available
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
Discover what makes mammals special as we focus on this diverse group of animals. From herbivores and insectivores, to carnivores and omnivores, mammals serve a range of functions in the natural world. Meet a mammal up close each day and learn about the role it plays and the adaptations it uses to survive.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Outdoor Survival Basics - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Ages 7-9
Learn the basics of bushcraft and the wilderness living skills necessary to survive outdoors comfortably. We will explore fire making and responsible use, outdoor shelter making, and making and using tools like baskets and rope. Learn about our ecosystem in a hands-on way by keeping weather journals, pressing plants, and learning about the animals that inhabit the world around you, including up close encounters with live animal ambassadors.
Cost: $300/member; $320/non-member

August 8-12

Summer Sensations - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
Explore New Hampshire’s summer environment with a focus on each of the five senses. Smell, taste, touch, see, and hear your way through a week full of fun.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Herp Herp Hooray! - FULL, waitlist available
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 6-9
Join us for adventures in herping. Turtles, snakes, frogs, and salamanders are all herps! We will learn all about reptiles and amphibians during this week of exploring forest, pond, wetland, stream, and field in our search for herps. Meet some of the Science Center’s resident herp ambassadors up close and personal.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Animal Art for Young Artists - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Ages 6-8
Let animals and their habitats serve as your inspiration as we create art from and of nature. Explore the Science Center grounds from the top of Mt. Fayal to the shores of the lower pond as we study form, examine color, and observe light to inform the art we create. Focus on detail through up close encounters with animal ambassadors. Use a variety of media to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional art and share your work at an art show for family and friends.
Cost: $300/member; $320/non-member

August 15-19

Tales and Trails - FULL, waitlist available
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 4-6
Stories of animals and nature will serve as our inspiration. We will meet live animal ambassadors from the books we read and explore the forests, ponds, and fields these animals call home.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

Yoga Wild
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Ages 6-8
Come along on a journey and get wild with yoga! Meet a live animal each day and learn new yoga poses expressing its movements and postures. Practice yoga outdoors in fields and forests. Adventures will include nature scavenger hunts, nature journaling, mindful listening, relaxation in the forest, and fun yoga games.
Cost: $180/member; $200/non-member

Predator-Prey - FULL, waitlist available
1:30 to 4:30 p.m. | Ages 6-9
Who eats what? How do predators catch their prey? How do prey avoid predators? Become an expert on the adaptations of predators and prey as we explore the fascinating relationships between these groups of animals.
Cost: $150/member; $170/non-member

For program questions email us at .

Ghost 77, 03/04/22
Absolutely amazing place to visit, especially for children. I visit most often during the summer in the late morning to early afternoon. There is little to no wait time for entry. Great to get some outside time and lots of walking, with fun and educational exhibits for the kids. Growing up, we'd go here on field trips fairly often between 1st and 5th grade, and everyone always thought it was a lot of fun.
Eric Jewart, 08/20/19
Had a fun visit there with my kids. We saw a presentation with a live porcupine which was cool. The presenter was very engaging. We spent about two hours total, just drifting around the main loop looking at everything there. The mountain lion and bobcat were pretty neat to see.
cheryl lemay, 07/31/19
Very nice area for walking. Lots of hands on activities to increase knowledge. There is a small picnic area towards the beginning of you wanted to bring some food to eat. There is also a small cafe, if you didn't bring your own food.
Desiree Perez, 05/12/22
Visited with my significant other on May 9th. Was not busy at all! Has so many interactive exhibits to learn from. Though we are both adults, we enjoyed playing and reading all the information along the trail. Love the hands on learning, it's the perfect place for children to learn new things about animals and nature while having tons of fun (and seeing animals!). The animals looked happy, and the enclosures were very natural and large for them to roam around. Will definitely return in the future!
Lynne Kraskouskas, 09/18/18
Great educational facility. Fun and educational for all ages. Very much enjoyed the sub-canopy boardwalk peppered with stations featuring different animals and ecosystems of the surrounding area. There are educational presentations with live animals as well as an otter exhibit. A few times a week, the otters are fed a "fishsicle" and it is amusing to watch them try and get their snacks. Didn't visit gift shop or go for a cruise. That's the great thing about this place, one can come back again and again and have a different experience. Locals or regular visitors to the region can purchase a membership and come and go. There is a nice picnic area and food during the summer season. It was not busy the day we visited, but I could see it being a lot busier. Educational, interesting AND shady.