Monthly Homeschool Series at Northwest Park

Homeschool programs will return in Fall 2024. Registration open now!

Our Homeschool Programs

Ages 5 to 10:
Each month, Northwest Park invites homeschool students, (ages 5-10), and their guardians to join us in hands-on science and nature exploration. Classes are held on the first or third Wednesday of each month. Choose from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM or 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Guardians should be prepared to stay for the program and work with their student(s). NWP educators will be providing additional background information on each topic and modeling scientific instructional methods. A packet of take-home resources and activities will be provided at each class.

Ages 11 to 14:
Northwest Park invites homeschool students, ages 11-14, to join us in hands-on science and nature exploration! In this one hour program, students will be immersed in field based learning and encouraged to ask questions, seek answers and explore new ideas as they develop real world skills. Parents/Guardians may choose to drop-off their students or stay for the program. Classes are held the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM.

Windsor resident – $12.00/class | Nonresident – $15.00/class. Registration is required.

’24 – ’25 Monthly Topics:

September: Webs We Weave

Dig deep into the differences between insects and arachnids. Discover why insect and arachnid activity increase during Autumn and ID some of the most common spiders in New England.

October: Hairy, Not Scary!

October is famous for scares! But not all animals trying to be frightening. Learn why some animals seem scarier to us than others and how they can use that to their advantage.

November: Animal Cupboards

Storing food has always been challenge, even for humans. Learn how animals find and store food to keep them fed during the long cold months.

December: The Three Extremes

Surviving the chill of winter is not easy, but each animal has their own way to stay warm. Discover some of the strange ways in which animals control their body temperature during the winter months.

January: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Do animals have friends? Discover why some animals prefer to be left alone while others form strong social and communal behavior.

February: Weather You Like It Or Not

Ever wonder why we have seasons? Or why the days get longer and shorter as the year goes on? Investigate how the Sun is connected to place on Earth and how we can see that connection through weather using STARLAB, our inflatable planetarium.

March: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Flowers in New England can be short lived, so you need to act quick. Take a hike around the grounds here at Northwest Park to see these fleeting flowers herald in the beginning of Spring.

April: Clutching Onto Life

Many clutches of birds have hatched and rely heavily on their parents to feed them. Discover the lifecycles of some common birds here at the park.

May: A World Beneath the Water

Beneath the surface of the water, a pond is teeming with life. This rich bio-diversity is crucial to the health of the pond and the organisms living in it. Get hands on with a pond study investigating all manner of organism living in the pond including insects, snails, crustaceans, turtles, fish and frogs.