Education

Children Learn and Grow in Nature...

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary offers field trips, camps, and programs to give children the opportunity to learn about and experience nature. Activities range from water quality testing to catching frogs along the marsh boardwalk. Our mission is to immerse children, the future stewards of the planet, in the wonders of science and the natural world.

 

Children spend less time outdoors than ever before. Children who are connected to nature have better health, higher satisfaction with life, and pro-environmental behaviors. Bring the children to Jug Bay where they can experience, explore, and learn to appreciate nature while considering the impacts of human activity on it.

Click to watch short films, interviews and presentations about our Sanctuary


Become a Jug Bay Volunteer Naturalist

Do you love nature and teaching kids?

Become a Volunteer Naturalist educator and share your love of nature with children at Jug Bay! Our field trips rely on a dedicated group of volunteer educators. We provide the training.

Complete this Google form or contact rpsieg21@aacounty.org for more information

Classrooms In The Field (CITF)

Classrooms in the Field are hands-on field experiences for students from kindergarten to college. Our outdoor programs are tailored to meet the needs of students and teachers alike, actively involving students in the learning process and introducing them to many facets of ecology and scientific research, while meeting state core curriculum standards.


Download the CITF Program and Standard Matrix

Public / Private School Field Trips

Apply for a field experience at Jug Bay! School groups will join a naturalist for an exploration of a variety of habitats found at Jug Bay. Experience the marsh, learn about our local plants, animals, and birds, and explore natural science concepts.


  • 50 children max per day.
  • $5 pp. ($50 minimum fee). (Wetland Ecology by Canoe is $20 pp. limit 14, age requirement applies.)
  • We follow AACPS chaperone guidelines. Learn more in the guidelines link below.
  • Max 4 hours - between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm


Spring season applications are open from November to March (or until full) for CITF trips in April and May.


Fall season applications are open from May to August (or until full) for CITF trips from mid-September to early November.

*Our Marsh Boardwalk will be open for spring CITF*


Homeschool Group Field Trips

Apply for a field experience at Jug Bay! Homeschool groups will join a naturalist for an exploration of a variety of habitats found at Jug Bay. Experience the marsh, learn about our local plants, animals, and birds, and explore natural science concepts. Limited spaces are available.



  • 10 students minimum and 15 max per day
  • $5 pp ($50 minimum)
  • Max 3 hours - between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm)
  • It can be held at the Sanctuary or GNP
  • The coordinating parent is responsible for communicating with parents, sending forms, collecting payment, and informing them of policies.
  • Payment is due one week before the field trip date.
  • No refunds for no-shows.
Fall 2026 CITF Application is OPEN

Self-Led Field Trips

Bring your class or homeschool group to Jug Bay for a self-propelled field trip. Self-led trips are held at the Sanctuary Proper on Wednesdays and Fridays (*car and bus fee) OR at Glendening Nature Preserve** Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.


Self-led trips offer opportunities to lead your own trips and learn at your own pace. You will have access to informational videos about Jug Bay, and the Education Coordinator can help you with materials to support your trip. 


Click below to fill out the field trip application and register your group. Also, sign up for our Educator's Newsletter for deadlines and information.


*$50 bus fee or $8 per vehicle required at the Sanctuary Proper.


**No fee at GNP, but registration is required.

 

Self-led Field Trips Application
Sign Up for the Education eNewsletter

CITF for Elementary School

Sunlit wetland pond with muddy water, green algae, and a tree-lined forest edge
Small turtle with dark shell and yellow markings being held over green foliage.
People wading and splashing in a shallow creek near a log in a wooded area
People crouching and picking plants in a wooded forest clearing, wearing gloves and backpacks
White mushroom cap with dark seed pods nestled among green moss and twigs
Small black-and-white salamander in damp soil, partly covered in dirt, on a person’s hand.
Group of people on a wetland boardwalk listening to a guide beside a marshy pond with floating plants
Fall 2026 CITF Application is OPEN

CITF for Middle and High School

Small frog perched on a green leaf, with a hand in the blurred background.
Person measuring a leaning tree in a leafy forest with a yellow tape measure
People crouching and picking plants in a wooded forest clearing, wearing gloves and backpacks
Small yellow and gray bird perched on a branch against a soft green background
Person holding a fish over a funnel in a body of water, with ropes and a measuring container below
People gathered around a table with clear bins, discussing or examining items in a classroom-like room
Butterfly with yellow-and-black wings on bright yellow flowers in a garden
Flooded woodland with bare trees reflected in still water
Lush green forest with a small brown stream winding through dense vegetation
Hand holding a test probe in rippling water to measure water quality
Four people in hats walking through tall green grass in a field
Two people canoeing on a river, with a smiling person in a red life jacket in the foreground.
Fall 2026 CITF Application is OPEN

Homeschool Hikers - Fall Series

Jug Bay also offers seasonal programs for homeschoolers.


We offer homeschool classes for 2 age groups. For students aged 10 - 13, we (usually) meet on the first Wednesday of the month. For students aged 6-9, we (usually) meet on the third Wednesday of the month. See below for specific details on dates and topics.


Bring your homeschoolers to explore and learn about nature! Each spring and fall, we offer a series of homeschool lessons organized around a central theme. Each class covers a related topic within that theme. It is not mandatory to attend all 4 sessions, but it is recommended to get the in-depth concepts we discuss and explore. Each class offers a short, informative lesson, outdoor time, and an activity or craft. We look, feel, listen, and discover all things nature.


Dress for the weather - we always opt for time outdoors!


Fee: $10 per child.

To register, visit AACo's ActiveNet and search for Homeschool Hikers.


Sign up today!

Summer Camps

Group of smiling people outdoors in a wooded area, raising their arms and posing together.

  • Forest Discovery Camp

    June 22 - 26, 2026 Monday-Friday

    9:30 am – 1:30 pm

    Ages 5-7

    $200/child


    Let your child’s curiosity bloom through outdoor summer fun along the Patuxent River at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Stomp in a creek, squish through the marsh, and experience the quiet of the woods. Rain or shine, we'll spend our time outside engaged in hands-on, nature-themed play and activities designed to encourage independent thinking, observation, and discoveries in the natural world.


  • Nature Explorers Camp

    July 6 - July 10, 2026 Monday- Friday

    9:30 am - 3:30 pm

    Ages 8 to 10

    $275/child


    Catch frogs, build a fort, seine for fish, walk in a stream, and squish your toes in the marsh! Enjoy outdoor summer fun along the Patuxent River at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Rain or shine, we'll spend every day outside. Campers will discover nature through exploration, crafts, and games.


  • Wild Adventures Nature Camp

    July 20 - 24, 2026 Monday - Friday

    9:30 am - 3:30 pm

    Ages 11 to 13

    $275/child


    Prepare for some wild adventures at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Catch critters in the creek, squish through the marsh, paddle the river, seine for fish! Learn about the Native Americans that used to live along the Patuxent River and the animals that live here now. We'll spend every day outside exploring and discovering the wild of nature!


    Sign up here! (#40288)

    (Opens Feb. 3rd at 11:00 am)

  • Camp - River Adventure I

    July 13 - 17, 2026  Monday - Friday

    9:30 am - 3:30 pm

    Ages 10 to 12

    $275/child


    River fun all day, every day. Experience summer on the Patuxent River in and around the waters of Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Nationally certified instructors will build your child's skills and confidence in kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding (SUPing) all around the beautiful Jug Bay Natural Area of the Patuxent River. The week-long camp experience also includes a create-and-race your own cardboard boat and culminates with an excursion to one of the County’s waterfront parks for a day of paddling.


    For more information, contact Park Ranger Katie Soisson-McCarren at 410-222-3406 or rpsois21@aacounty.org. For scholarship information call 410-222-8006 or email rpsieg21@aacounty.org. Registration and current health guidelines required.

    Maximum 10 kids. Register on Active Net!


  • Camp - River Adventure II

    July 27 - July 31, 2026  Monday - Friday

    9:30 am - 3:30 pm

    Ages 13 to 16

    $330/child


    River fun all day, every day. Experience summer on the Patuxent River in and around the waters of Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Nationally certified instructors will build your teen's skills and confidence in canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle-boarding (SUPing) all around the beautiful Jug Bay Natural Area of the Patuxent River. The week-long camp experience also includes a create-and-race-your-own cardboard boat and culminates with an off-site excursion to Mallow’s Bay on the Potomac River!


     

    For more information, contact Park Ranger Katie Soisson-McCarren at 410-222-3406 or rpsois21@aacounty.org. For scholarship information call 410-222-8006 or email rpsieg21@aacounty.org. Registration and current health guidelines required.

    Maximum 10 kids. Register on Active Net!



  • Park Passport Adventure Camp

    August 10 - 14, 2026 Monday - Friday

    9:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Ages 9 to 12

    $330/child


    Various Anne Arundel County Parks - Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Quiet Waters, Downs, Fort Smallwood, Kinder Farm


    Experience all that Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks has to offer in this one-of-a-kind excursion summer day camp. Campers will spend the week exploring new parks and learning about the natural world around them. Participants will have the chance to meet the animals at Kinder Farm, go back in time at Historic London Town, taste honey from a local beekeeper, fish and crab on the Chesapeake Bay, explore the Patuxent River marshes, hike, kayak, swim, and so much more.


     

    For more information, contact Park Ranger Katie Soisson-McCarren at 410-222-3406 or rpsois21@aacounty.org. For scholarship information call 410-222-8006 or email rpsieg21@aacounty.org. Registration and current health guidelines required.

    Maximum 10 kids. Register through ActiveNet.



  • Nature Escape Mini Camps

    August 17 - 21, 2026 Monday - Friday

    9:30 am - 12:00 pm

    Ages 6 to 10

    $40/child


    Various Anne Arundel County Parks


    Nature Escape Mini Camp is a nature-immersive, creative play drop-off program designed to bridge the child-aged summer activity gap after most camps have ended but before school starts as well as be an affordable camp-like experience for families who can not pay full summer camp prices.


    Jug Bay Registration