OLD LYME — Connecticut Audubon’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center (RTPEC) has announced the opening of a new children’s education center on its five-acre property in Old Lyme. Funded by private donations, The Kelsey Family Children’s Innovation & Discovery Center is located in a renovated and expanded 1,632-square-foot cottage.

“The Kelsey family is fortunate to be able to support such a worthy endeavor of the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center,” said J. David Kelsey of Old Lyme. He continued, “The commitment of the center to the nature education and growth of intellectual curiosity in our young kids is critical to the establishment of lifelong learning and coupling that with an introduction to conservation and an important understanding of the contributions of birds to our world is a wonderful thing of which to be a part.”

The center officially opened July 3 and will be the home of an array of new, specially-designed programs for children ages three and up. Program participants will have the opportunity to learn about conservation and the environment through stories and art, the use of scientific equipment, and explorations of local habitats.

The newly-renovated building includes classrooms, a studio and lab equipped with digital microscopes and other scientific equipment, an organic vegetable garden, and water and nature play area

The center features the following programs:
Little Naturalists, a weekly nature class for parents/caregivers and children ages three to five years old, encourages discovery, exploration, and expression through stories, hands-on activities, and art with themes such as birds, insects, soil, water, mammals, and fish.

Family Ecology Days invite children of all ages to participate in a morning of ecology exploration through seasonal activities including macroinvertebrate exploration with scopes, plant ID in the center’s pollinator garden, and searching for birds with binoculars.

Birding Basics teaches children ages 12 and up the basics of birding with an ID classroom portion paired with practice in the field. The program is offered seasonally in the fall, winter and spring.

“With the establishment of the new center, we are now able to provide innovative, hands-on, and experiential STEM programs both after school and during our summer sessions,” said Alisha Milardo, director of Connecticut Audubon’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center.

In addition to classroom programs, the center will also be available for private events, including children’s birthday parties.

Connecticut Audubon’s RTPEC dedicates itself to future generations through experiential education and conservation of the land, waters, and the species that inhabit them. Established in 2015 as a regional center of the CT Audubon Society, RTPEC focuses on protecting and conserving the dominant biosystems of southeastern Connecticut.

The Center’s programs reach over 8,000 students throughout the southeastern CT region.

For more information, visit www.ctaudubon.org/rtp-estuary-home

The CT Audubon Society protects Connecticut’s birds, other wildlife, and their habitats through conservation, education, and advocacy. Founded in 1898, CT Audubon operates nature facilities in Fairfield, Milford, Pomfret, Hampton, Sherman, and Old Lyme, and an EcoTravel office in Essex.

For more information, visit www.ctaudubon.org.