School Field Trips

Westwood Hills Nature Center’s forest, restored prairie and marsh are unique outdoor classrooms in the middle of the city. Professionally trained naturalists lead a wide variety of fun, informative, hands-on environmental education and outdoor recreation programs. Students, teachers and other supervising adults should be dressed to be outside for most of their time at the nature center.


Preschool field trips

Preschool field trips are for children ages 3 – 5. Available programs include:

  • Autumn trees and apples
  • Maple syruping
  • Spring birds
  • Who and what lives here
  • Winter birds

Each of these programs can be scheduled for either one hour or 1.5 hours, depending on your group’s needs and wants. Specific activities will vary according to the program, season and the day’s weather, but will typically include outdoor activities and a puppet show.

Program fees

  • 1-hour program
    • $3 per student (residents)
    • $4 per student (non-resident)
  • 1.5-hour program
    • $4 per student (residents)
    • $5 per student (non-resident)

Elementary field trips

Elementary field trips are for children grades K – 6.

Some of the available programs include:

  • Animal tracks
  • Forest treasures
  • Maple syruping
  • Pond study
  • Spring plants
  • Tree identification
  • Who and what lives here
  • Winter Survival

Each of these programs can be scheduled for either 1.5 or 2 hours, depending on your group’s needs and wants. Specific activities will vary according to the program, season and the day’s weather. Programs for kindergarten and first grade students include a puppet show.

Program fees

  • 1.5-hour program
    • $4 per student (residents)
    • $5 per student (non-resident)
  • 2-hour program
    • $5 per student (residents)
    • $6 per student (non-resident)