Day Care & Nursery School Programs
Our preschool programs are designed to introduce young children to the natural world and integrate social, emotional, cognitive and physical development skills. All of our programs are hands-on, sensory and take place outdoors. Our Conservation Educators have over 40 years of combined experience and enjoy working with young learners and passing on their love and extensive knowledge of nature and the outdoors. A description of the programs we offer is provided below. If you don’t see what you are looking for, please contact our education staff, we will do our best to accommodate you – educate@crca.ca or 613-546-4228 ext. 251.
Location
Programs take place at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area north of Hwy. 401 on, Division Street Kingston.
Times
All programs are 1.5 to 2 hours in length and are available both morning and afternoons. Start and end times are flexible to adapt for busing and travel schedules.
Fees
- $8.00 per participant attending all regular half day programs
- A minimum fee of $112.00 applies to all groups
- $2.00 extra per participant for Maple Madness Programs
Program Dates
COVID-19 Update: We are currently accepting program bookings and have protocols in place to protect staff and learners. Program dates can be flexible.
Booking Instructions
Programs can be booked at any time by emailing our education department at educate@crca.ca
Cancellation Policy
A minimum of seven (7) working days notice is required for cancellation to allow us time to contact groups from our waiting list. If the CRCA is notified of the cancellation less than seven working days in advance of the scheduled visit, a cancellation fee of $50.00 will be charged.
Education staff will make contact by 7:00 a.m. the morning of your trip if we need to adapt or re-schedule the program in case of inclement weather or cancel due to severe weather. There will be no charge for a cancellation made due to severe weather conditions.
Programs available:
Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!
(Fall & Spring)
The visit begins with puppet friends and looking at neat insect specimens. Songs and stories will accompany learners on an outdoor adventure to gently capture and release live insects.
Senses of the Season
(Fall, Winter & Spring)
Children will use their senses to explore the season that they are visiting in. This will include activities such as: dancing in the colourful fall leaves, feeding chickadees in the winter or observing wildflowers and frogs in the spring. The children will experience the season through puppets, songs and hands-on exploration activities.
Secrets of Syrup
(Maple Madness – $2.00 extra fee per person, March 2 to March 27)
The visit begins with an introduction to the sugar bush by our famous puppet friends. We will take a ride back in time to the sugar bush in fun tractor-drawn wagons, where children explore all the different methods of making maple syrup at their own pace.
Cattails and Creatures – Marsh Dipping
(Fall & Spring)
Puppets will introduce preschool children to the cool creatures found in the marsh. As gentle explorers, the children get to know the many water friends through a hands-on marsh dipping excursion on our boardwalk.
Make a day of it!
Combine your program with other great activities for a terrific day in the outdoors. Or do your own education program. Our education department would be pleased to provide you
with program ideas. Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area has a variety of habitats including wetland, field and forest. There are also great recreation facilities including picnic areas and a 14 km trail system which is groomed for cross-country skiing during the winter. There are two warming huts, a bonfire pit and privies located beside the reservoir and parking lot. The entrance fee for groups to use our facilities is $3.00 per person. You must make a group booking to use our facilities by calling (613) 546-4228 ext. 222. To book one of our education programs, please call (613) 546-4228 ext. 251.