WPS Living Laboratories: Fall 26/ Spring 27 After-school Adventures
The Westerly Land Trust is proud to partner with our community’s schools to offer enriching, outdoor, after-school opportunities for our local K-4th graders! Here on WLT preserves, your children will explore, get their hands dirty, experience nature, and have fun with their friends, all while learning directly from the land. If you are interested in after-school enrichment for a school that is not listed below, please contact Lauren Barber lbarber@westerlylandtrust.org.
Program Details
- Programs are no cost to families thanks to generous community support
- All programs except for easy release day (marked with *) run until 5:30 PM
- Program runs until 4:30PM on early release day on October 1
- A healthy snack is provided at the start of program
- Transportation is available thanks to Westerly Public Schools
- All students are bussed to program after school
- Students can be picked up at the preserve by a guardian/caregiver or take the bus home
- All programs occur on a WLT preserve
- Registration is required for each individual program you would like to attend.
- Registration closes for Fall programs on September 23, 2026, and for Spring on March 29, 2027.
- Spots are limited, reserve yours today by locating and clicking your school and grade under each program.
FALL 2026
Program 1- Guardians of the Night at Barlow Nature Preserve: Explore the hidden world of bats and discover how these nighttime animals help support healthy ecosystems. Learn how bat pups reconnect with their mothers, investigate ways to protect local bat populations, and venture out on a guided hike to search for suitable bat habitats in nature.
- *Springbrook K-4 (Thursday, Oct 1)
- State Street K-4 (Tuesday, Oct 6)
- Dunn’s Corners 2-4 (Thursday Oct 15)
- Dunn’s Corners K-1 (Tuesday Oct 20)
Program 2- Eco Engineers at Mastuxet Brook Greenway South: Explore how animals are nature’s greatest builders. From beavers who reshape rivers to birds that weave intricate nests, participants discover how animals solve engineering problems using creativity, teamwork, and natural materials.
- Springbrook K-4 (Thursday, Oct 8)
- State Street K-4 (Tuesday, Oct 13)
- Dunn’s Corners 2-4 (Thursday Oct 22)
- Dunn’s Corners K-1 (Tuesday Oct 27)
Spring 2027
Program 1- Wild Watch at Wahaneeta Preserve: Grab your magnifying glass and dip nets and get ready to sharpen your observation skills! Reach high and low, on land and water, for clues about native plants, local wildlife, and sneaky invasive species.
- State Street K-4 (Tuesday, April 6)
- Springbrook K-4 (Thursday, April 8)
- Dunn’s Corners 2-4 (Thursday, April 27)
- Dunn’s Corners K-1 (Tuesday April 29)
Program 2- Nature to Nutrition at Barlow Nature Preserve: Discover how nature provides the nutrients our bodies need to grow strong and healthy through planting, observing, and tasting fresh produce.
