Half Day and Summer Field Trip Programs

Give your group the opportunity to spend a day enjoying Sandy Hook’s beaches and learning about the marine environment. Participants will explore the shore through a combination of hands-on activities, crafts, laboratory experiments, and field work. Half day (2 hours) programs are offered only from April 1 to May 15 and September 1 through November 30, in addition to the summer months.

Full Day Programs

Marsh and Ocean Environments:

This full day (4-5 hours) outdoor program introduces students to the salt marsh and ocean beach environment through a variety of hands-on activities. Optional activity (requires advance notice and is subject to time constraints) includes water quality testing, plankton sampling and identification, or food web simulation. $325.00 per group, 25 students per group.

Lenape and the Jersey Shore:

During this full-day (4-5 hours) program, students will gain insight into the history of New Jersey’s Native Americans and how they interacted with our coastal environment to survive. Students will get a chance to fish and hunt as the Lenape did, plus “make and take” a Native American inspired craft. $475.00 per group, 25 students per group.

Half Day Programs

Secrets of the Salt Marsh:

Spend a half day (2 hours) exploring the most productive ecosystem on earth – the salt marsh. Go seining, sieving, shell collecting and hiking in this very special environment. A food web or watershed activity can be included upon request (time permitting). $200.00 per group, 25 students per group.

Sea Shell Science:

Students will learn all about local seashells during this half day (2 hours) program. Each student will “make and take” a seashell collection and enjoy grade level appropriate learning activities. A shell craft can be included upon advance request (time permitting). $200.00, 25 students per group.

On Sandy Shores:

This half day (2 hours) program offers grade level appropriate activities all about sand. Students hike to collect shells and will experiment with microscopes to examine sand from all over the world. Activities will include making sand sample cards to take home. $200.00 per group, 25 students per group.

Happiness Is a Horseshoe Crab:

Often called a “living fossil”, this half-day (2 hours) program focuses on the horseshoe crab.  Through hands-on activities children will learn about the care, importance and unique habits of this ancient animal.  For younger children, a story may be included. Each student can also “make and take” a crab model (with advance request and time permitting). $200.00 per group, 25 students per group.

Native Ways

This is a half-day (2-hour program). Students will go fishing with a seine net and learn about the native people who camped on “Sandy Poynt” during pre-colonial times. A Native-American inspired craft can be included with advance request (time permitting). $200.00 per group, 25 students per group.

Program limited to (25) students per class or group.

Multiple classes or groups can be accommodated daily.

For more information contact the Education Department at [email protected] or by phone at (732) 872-1300, ext. 13. Fill out our program reservation request form HERE!