Inspire your child when science comes to life in The Maritime Aquarium’s summer programs, which  are firmly grounded in National Education Standards for life-science learning. A summer’s day or week at the Aquarium will help your children aspire to achieve in school next fall. We’ll take your children beyond the books on an exciting, hands-on adventure with fun activities in our private classrooms, at our engaging exhibits and through our bigger-than-life IMAX® movies. We’ll show them the fun side of scientific inquiry. Imagine your children doing experiments, holding a real whale bone, safely handling live crabs and much more! Specific activities depend upon the particular theme of the session.
To participate, your child must be the listed age by the start of the program. Specific activities and visits to certain Aquarium exhibits depend upon the particular theme of the session. Sign up for a few sessions or attend all summer! Each day runs from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 pm.
Pre and Extended Care Precare from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Extended care is until 5:30 p.m. A relaxed, informal care service includes enrichment science activities, games, crafts, movies and visits to Aquarium exhibits.
Program Policies
Full payment is due upon registration. Cancellation / Refund Policy
Refunds will be issued (less a $50 processing fee) only if notice of cancellation is received more than 4 weeks in advance of session and the opening can be filled. There will be a $25 processing fee to switch days.
Questions?
Call our Program Director at 203-852-0700, ext. 1201, or e-mail: summerprogramdirector@maritimeaquarium.org
Financial Assistance
If you qualify for the School Lunch Program, you qualify for subsidy for a summer session.
Financial Aid is available for one session per child. Application forms are available:
• on our web site, maritimeaquarium.org
• by calling 203-852-0700, ext. 1201
• e-mail to: summerprogramdirector@ maritimeaquarium.org
• mail to: Summer Program Director: The Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT 06854.
The Sound Scientists Summer Programs are taught by experienced educators.
Space is limited. Download an application and sign up now!
Information for Parents!
You can now purchase programs online!
One-Day Programs (for Ages 6-9)
 Whale of a Day Tuesday, June 28
Offer your children a whale-sized perspective on these amazing marine mammals. Kids assemble a life-size whale puzzle, measuring themselves along its side! They see and touch actual whale bones from our collection. Hands-on activities demonstrate whale adaptations for eating and staying warm, plus challenges to migratory whales.
Feature Creature Wednesday, June 29
Kids go on scavenger hunt around the Aquarium to observe up-close a variety of animals, such as frogs, turtles and crabs in the Aquarium’s exhibits. They’ll learn about these critters through hands-on activities in the classroom, and then show off their knowledge through a quiz game!
Young Like Me Thursday, June 30
Children study young animals in our exhibits, learning how they grow into adults. They use a plankton net off our dock to catch small animals and, by using a microscope, figure out what their adult form will be. They touch real egg cases, molts and artifacts to learn how animals grow.
Blue Planet
Thursday, July 7
Why is the Earth called the “Blue Planet?” Through games and hands-on activities, kids learn about the importance of water on Earth and how it sustains all life. They go on an outdoor river walk, do a pollution clean-up activity, and see the IMAX movie, “The Living Sea.”
Survivors Friday, July 8
Children come face to face with live animals that have withstood the test of time, including species of turtles and jellies, and also will hold “living fossils.” They’ll learn about extinct animals by playing paleontologist in a simulated fossil dig, finding real marine fossils in the process. Includes a special tour of our new dinosaur exhibit. Who will survive the fact-or-fiction quiz game?
One-Week Programs
Movin’ On July 11-15, (for Ages 6-10)
A super fun week learning how machines and animals move! Special workshops led by Playwell get youngsters designing and building all sorts of LEGO® constructions and then powering them to move. We’ll also discover how marine animals move by learning about skeletons, muscles and how animals can move up and down in the water with special adaptations. This class is not affiliated with the LEGO® group.
Junior Marine Biologist 1 July 18-22, (for Ages 9-12)
Parents, inspire a career here! We invite your child into the inner workings of our Aquarium. Their eventual goal: set up, stock, feed and maintain an aquarium of Long Island Sound marine life in a healthy, sustainable habitat. Conducting real experiments, learning to use a variety of microscopes, and performing fish and squid dissections teaches your youngsters about behind-the-scenes sciences at The Maritime Aquarium. Max cap: 30 participants.
Otterly Awesome Animals July 18-22, (for Ages 6-8)
Introduce your children to frisky otters, sleek seals, giant whales and fascinating meerkats. Your junior scientist will come face-to-face with the Aquarium’s otters, attend a special seal feeding, hold actual whale bones, assemble a life-sized humpback whale puzzle, conduct “blubber” and “feeding” experiments, and more.
Junior Marine Biologist 2 July 25-29, (for Ages 9-12)
Go deep into the mind of a real scientist! Youngsters discover the fundamentals of scientific research by conducting experiments to learn about aquatic animals and their adaptations for survival. Working in groups to design and carry out their own week-long research projects, as well as a multi-day advanced dissection, they will present at a parent open house on Friday. Participants must have taken Junior Marine Biologist 1. Max cap: 30 participants.
Sharks & Fish July 25-29, (for Ages 6-8)
Children learn the unique characteristics of what makes a fish a fish and find out if sharks are fish. They visit our fish exhibits, including “Go Fish! Long Island Sound and Beyond,” to learn about the different types of fish living in the Sound. They assemble a life-size shark puzzle, create a fish print, touch live stingrays, and count teeth in real shark jaws! Includes a unique peek behind-the-scenes to see how and where we care for our friends with fins.
Junior Marine Biologist 1 August 1-5, (for Ages 9-12)
See description for July 18-22.
Coastal Critters August 1-5, (for Ages 6-8)
 Our Sound Scientists roll up their sleeves to experience first-hand the animals living along our coasts. They learn to group shelled animals, measure a horseshoe crab just like a real scientist, create experiments with crabs and snails, and lots more!
Junior Marine Biologists 2 August 8-12, (for Ages 9-12)
See description for July 25-29.
Water Wonders August 8-12, (for Ages 6-8)
Co-hosted with Stepping Stones Museum for Children, this week lets your child experience exciting hands-on experiments and demonstrations at two museums. They discover the amazing properties of water and the value of this all-important resource. Children also learn about creatures that live under and around wet watery worlds, including live rain forest insects and exotic frogs. (For two days, drop-off and pickup will be at Stepping Stones.)
Sound Art & Science August 15-19, (for Ages 6-10)
Delight their creative side! Kids photograph live animals in our exhibits and create a hand-built clay model of their favorite aquarium animal. Make fish prints, press live seaweed and learn how to create cartoon marine characters. From our pavilion, your budding artist observes the river and learns to paint a riverscape. This is a unique combination of science education and multi-media art experience!
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