Educational Programs

Blue Jay Point offers a wide variety of educational programs in natural history and the natural sciences, including current environmental issues and environmental ethics. We target local school groups and the general public in our environmental education offerings. Organized groups, such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4-H Clubs, can also take advantage of the park's programming opportunities to complement their own organizational missions.

Along with our educational programs and exhibits, Blue Jay Point offers Discovery Boxes. Discovery Boxes are self-contained activities that include equipment and activity guides, including necessary background materials. Some boxes are most appropriate for groups of learners, while others lend themselves to individual or family use. Discovery Boxes are available for use in the park on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call to reserve boxes or to schedule a time to review the boxes.

Are you interested in programs for…

Individual Children

Adults & Educators

Preschool & Kindergarten Groups

Elementary School Groups

Middle and High School Groups

Scout Groups

Blue Jay offers monthly programs for children aged 3 & up. Please click on the names of the programs below for the most up-to-date information on upcoming programs, or see the current Quarterly newsletter. To check for space availability, contact the Blue Jay Center for Environmental Education at 919-870-4330. To register, you will need to include a completed registration form and payment by mail or in person. The following series are offered monthly:

• Nature Stories – Theme-related stories and activities for parent and child aged 3-5 years. Please make other arrangements for siblings!
• Eco-Kids – A 3-day mini-camp for youngsters ages 4-5 years in which they learn about a variety of topics through crafts, hikes, stories and other activities.
• Nature Crafts – This craft series for 6-8-year-olds focuses on seasonal ideas and related crafts.
• Nature Nuts – Dare to try the new and unexpected! There will always be an environmental education or natural history component in each session of this series of programs for kids ages 9-12, but you'll have to see through the fun to know you are learning!
• Blue Jay Days– A new, daylong experience for children ages 9-12 at Blue Jay Point! Blue Jay Days are scheduled on selected traditional school calendar holiday/workday days on alternating year-round school calendar tracks. Homeschool families will also be able to take advantage of these single-day “camp-like” days. Try it out and let us know what you think!
• Family Wildlife Series – For truly "wild" families! For ages 5 and up, unless otherwise specified.
• Homeschool Series – Each "semester", Blue Jay offers a homeschool series, meeting 8 times over 4 months. In the fall, the series is for 9-12-year-olds, and in the spring, the series is for 6-8-year-olds.
• Teen Homeschool Series – Designed for teens who are being homeschooled, this program series is for ages 13-15 and will meet from 1-4 p.m. each session. Sessions will build on each other.
• Summer Mini-Camps– In June and July we offer 3-day mini-camps for 6-8- and 9-12-year-olds. Information for Summer 2009 is now published. Register now for these rapidly-filling programs!

Special Events and/or Programs:

• Junior Park Naturalist Challenge - A cooperative challenge among all 7 County parks.

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Blue Jay Point offers a variety of adult programs, including many workshops for NC Environmental Education Certification or CEU credits! Visit the Public Programs page for upcoming workshops and classes, or see the current Quarterly newsletter. To register, contact the Blue Jay Center for Environmental Education at 919-870-4330.

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Blue Jay Fledglings is a series of group programs for preschool and kindergarten-aged children just ready to learn about the natural world on their own. These staff-led programs are intended for groups of 15 or less, with one chaperone per five children. If parental involvement is important, consider dividing your group in half so the total number of people does not exceed 20. Each program lasts approximately 1 hour. See the Fledglings sheet for more information. To schedule a program, contact the Blue Jay Center for Environmental Education at 919-870-4330. You may also want to visit our School Programs page for more information on Preschool & Kindergarten field trips.

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Blue Jay Point's educational staff is available to lead a variety of natural history and environmental education programs. All programs are designed specifically for your class and any special needs your students may have. All programs are based on the current NCDPI curriculum and are specific to the piedmont region of North Carolina. In order to meet the diverse learning styles of children, multi-age groups are divided into the following age ranges:  5-8 years, 9-12 years, and 13 & up. Multi-age programs are intended for groups of 15 or less. Please see the Group Programs sheet for more information. To schedule a program, contact the Blue Jay Center for Environmental Education at 919-870-4330. You may also want to visit our School Programs page for more information on field trips and suggested programs for your grade's curriculum.

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Bring your club, organization or class out to the Blue Jay Center for Environmental Education for a day of Environmental Studies. Our newest programs are specifically geared towards middle and high school students with an interest in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Science or general Life Sciences. Please see the Environmental Studies sheet for more information. You may also want to consider our regular Group Programs. To schedule a program, contact the Blue Jay Center for Environmental Education at 919-870-4330. You may also want to visit our School Programs page for more information on other field trip options.

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Blue Jay Point County Park provides an ideal setting for Scouts to fulfill requirements for environmental and nature-oriented badges. Our trails, open areas, lake front, study pond, garden area and classrooms encourage Scouting groups to discover the world of nature through observation and investigation while learning the value of preservation and conservation. Blue Jay staff members provide talks and guided hikes for Scout groups in the park. Monthly themed programs especially for Scout groups, are available on selected Saturdays. Some programs are "requirement-oriented," while others are "background-oriented," enabling Scouts to continue work on their own. Please see the Scout Saturday schedule for more information. Programs are scheduled during the school year and are advertised in the summer, with registration beginning July 1.

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