No Child Left Inside® Newsletter December 2011

No Child Left Inside® December 2011

A Newsletter from the Connecticut Department Volume 7

of Energy and Environmental Protection

In This Issue

No Child Left Inside 2012

Featured Events

Featured Activity

Quick Links

No Child Left Inside® Website

DEEP Website

DEEP Calendar of Events

School Vacation Programs at Dinosaur State Park

Come spend your school vacation at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill as they celebrate a series of programs titled "The Wild Inside."

Although it may be cold outside, the Park is bringing "The Wild Inside" in a series of special programs being offered December 27-31, 2011. They include:

Daily

Naturalist Programs: 11:00 am, 11:30 am, and 2:00 pm

Park staff will present either a Track Talk or an Animal Presentation

Crafts: 11:30 am - 3:00 pm

Visitors will be able to make a craft to take home

Films: 10:00 am, 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 3:30 pm (film schedule will be adjusted on December 29th to accommodate special live animal program)

Special Program

Thursday, December 29 at 1:00 pm

Live Alligator and Crocodile Show - Presented by Rainforest Reptiles, the program features a wide variety of crocodilians. Space is limited for this program to the first 100 visitors. Tickets are included with the admission and will be available at 9:00 am on the day of the show. This 45-minute show is recommended for ages 5 and over.

For more information please contact Meg Enkler at

(860)529-5816 or margaret.enkler@ct.gov

Sponsored by the Friends of Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum

No Child Left Inside® 2012 Programming

We have begun putting together plans for 2012 No Child Left Inside® Programs. The 2012 format will be as follows:

Winter Festival Saturday, February 4, 2012
Spring Sprint (4 or 5 week long registered competition complete with campout!) starting in April and running through May
Summer Festival in August
Fall Festival in October

We are still in the process of finalizing the exact details and welcome your feedback and suggestions.

Featured Events

Event: Children's Discovery Program

Date: Saturday, December 10, 2011

Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Location: Goodwin Conservation Center, Hampton

Brief Description: Join us for a walk and learn how to look at "pre-winter" woods! The pre-winter woods may not have snow in them yet but there is still a lot to see, to discover, and to find. We will look at buds, feel bark differences, and find hidden smells. For more information please contact Juan Sanchez at (860) 455-9534 or juansanchezjr@ct.gov

Event: Fireside Stories

Date: Friday, December 16, 2011

Time: 6:00 pm

Location: Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison

Brief Description: Hear Native American folk tales and fables by a campfire at the outdoor amphitheater at Meigs Point Nature Center. Bring chairs, blankets, and roasting sticks. We will provide the marshmallows! For more information please contact Ranger Russ Miller at (203) 462-9643 or rangerruss@hammonasset.org

Event: Meet the North American Porcupine

Date: Saturday, December 31, 2011

Time: 10:00 am

Location: White Memorial Conservation Center, Litchfield

Brief Description: Meet the world's third largest rodent in this one hour program which addresses the natural history of one of Connecticut's most under-appreciated mammals! Meet in A.B. Ceder Room. For more information please contact Gerri Griswold at (860) 567-0857 or gerri@whitememorialcc.org

View a Complete List of Events

Featured Activity

There's no need to stay home when the temperature turns bitter - the fun continues all through the winter!

Show off your downhill skills on the skiing hills, glide across the state with a pair of ice skates, ski on cross country trails masked by snow veils, look for wildlife clues on snowshoes, or wish for a fish while forming fond memories on a frozen pond.

Let Your Winter Adventure Begin!

No Child Left Inside® is an initiative of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.