Family Wreath Making
Families (All Ages) | Activity
Join us for a fun seasonal craft! Create your very own custom wreath using our provided foraged materials.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
STEAM Workshop: Owl Pellets
Children (Ages 7-12) | Activity
Join an educator each week to explore a different topic in science, technology, engineering, art, or mathematics through experiments, art projects, and more.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
BioBlitz: By the Bay
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Citizen Science
Help us catalog the species that can be found at Jones Beach State Park during the summer! Please have the free “iNaturalist” app pre-downloaded and bring your own smartphone to participate in this program.
We will be walking outdoors on our trails to find different species. Please dress for the weather.
Learn more about iNaturalist here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: Up to 1 mile of walking across sand and/or pavement
RSVP: RSVP Required
Tiny Tots: Owls
Children (Ages 3-6) | Class
Come to Jones Beach and join us for an exciting new activity every week. Your little one will get creative, get moving, and start learning about the fun of the outdoors and of science.
Theme: Owls
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors, with possible short outdoor activity
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Winter Wonders
Adults & Families (Ages 6+) | Walk + Activity
While the beach may be known to be the hot spot in the summers, winters at Jones Beach are just as wonderful! Join an educator to learn about identifying the animal tracks from our winter critters and explore how to harvest seeds from the dormant plants. This is a leisurely walk throughout the paved sidewalks of the Pollinator Garden, and a short walk on the sand to see any wild animal tracks.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: less than a mile
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
STEAM Workshop: Solar Printing
Children (Ages 7-12) | Activity
Join an educator each week to explore a different topic in science, technology, engineering, art, or mathematics through experiments, art projects, and more.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Storytime Corner Walk-in Hour
Children (Ages 0-8) | Read-aloud
Drop in to our hour of storytelling. Our educators will make our picture books come alive for your children. Our library of entertaining picture books will keep your kids interested all morning long.
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
Each picture book takes about 10 minutes to be read aloud.
Storytime Corner Walk-in Hour
Children (Ages 0-8) | Read-aloud
Drop in to our hour of storytelling. Our educators will make our picture books come alive for your children. Our library of entertaining picture books will keep your kids interested all morning long.
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
Each picture book takes about 10 minutes to be read aloud.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
Storytime Corner Walk-in Hour
Children (Ages 0-8) | Read-aloud
Drop in to our hour of storytelling. Our educators will make our picture books come alive for your children. Our library of entertaining picture books will keep your kids interested all morning long.
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
Each picture book takes about 10 minutes to be read aloud.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
Winter Bird Walk
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Walk
Come down to Jones Beach each week to visit diverse habitats to look for waterfowl, shorebirds, and elusive owls. We will learn about birds’ winter adaptations that keep them warm during the coldest parts of the year and look for special visitors that that only frequent Jones Beach when temperatures drop. Bring your hat, gloves, and a warm drink! Binoculars provided.
Fee: Free / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: a mile or so on sand and pavement
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
STEAM Workshop: Science of Spying
Children (Ages 7-12) | Activity
Join an educator each week to explore a different topic in science, technology, engineering, art, or mathematics through experiments, art projects, and more.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Storytime Corner Walk-in Hour
Children (Ages 0-8) | Read-aloud
Drop in to our hour of storytelling. Our educators will make our picture books come alive for your children. Our library of entertaining picture books will keep your kids interested all morning long.
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
Each picture book takes about 10 minutes to be read aloud.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
Adult Craft: Wreath Making
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Craft
Learn a new skill with us and create a craft to decorate your home, gift to a friend, or just to help you unwind and relax.
Theme: Wreath Making
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
BioBlitz: Winter Beach
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Citizen Science
Help us catalog the species that can be found at Jones Beach State Park during the winter! Please have the free “iNaturalist” app pre-downloaded and bring your own smartphone to participate in this program.
We will be walking outdoors on our trails to find different species. Please dress for the weather.
Learn more about iNaturalist here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: Up to 1 mile of walking across sand and/or pavement
RSVP: RSVP Required
Marine Mammal Day
Free Programming
All Ages | Activities, Crafts, and More
It’s winter time, and you know what that means…our favorite marine mammals are back in town! Celebrate all of the seal species that visit Long Island, and learn more about all different kinds of marine mammals in the world, like whales, dolphins, porpoises, otters, and more.
Crafts:
11:00am-11:45am, & 12:00pm-12:45pm Build your own seal! (All Ages, Recommmended 3+)
Glue, paint, and googly eyes—craft a adorable carboard seal to decorate your home.
11:00am-3:00pm Otter Paper-Bag Puppets (All Ages)
Glue, paint, and googly eyes—craft a adorable carboard seal to decorate your home.
Activities:
11:00am-1:00pm Whale Sound Studio (Recommended Ages 7+)
Do you think you know how to talk like a whale? Try our spectrogram and match your voice to a marine mammal.
1:00pm-3:00pm Touch Tank
Join an educator to meet the hermit crabs, spider crabs, and snails in our touch tank.
2:00pm-3:00pm Marine Mammal Mysteries with Educator Doug
What are your number one animal questions? Educator Doug knows it all! Learn about our local whales, seals, and more in a chat with Doug. Explore our marine mammal bone collection.
Games:
11:00am-3:00pm Solve the Riddle!
Grab a riddle sheet from our front desk and look through our exhibits and special tables for answers—if you solve our riddle, you can earn a prize.
11:00am-3:00pm Bean Bag Otters & Pin the Fin on the Dolphin
Pass by our craft room to try your hand at our otter corn-hole game or see if you can get a fin onto a dolphin!
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors.
Weather: In the case of inclement weather, all activities will be indoors.
RSVP: RSVP recommended to reserve your space for crafts.
Adult Craft: Birdseed Balls
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Craft
Learn a new skill with us and create a craft to decorate your home, gift to a friend, or just to help you unwind and relax.
Theme: Birdseed Balls
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Tiny Tots: Polar Bears
Children (Ages 3-6) | Class
Come to Jones Beach and join us for an exciting new activity every week. Your little one will get creative, get moving, and start learning about the fun of the outdoors and of science.
Theme: Polar Bears
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors, with possible short outdoor activity
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Photography Hike
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Hike
State parks are a great place to explore from behind the lens of a camera! Photographers of all experience levels are invited to hike through the West End. Participants must provide their own camera equipment. Participants are welcome to use their phone cameras.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: Up to 2 miles of walking on sand and pavement.
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Program departs 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
STEAM Workshop: Strawberry DNA
Children (Ages 7-12) | Activity
Join an educator each week to explore a different topic in science, technology, engineering, art, or mathematics through experiments, art projects, and more.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
Storytime Corner Walk-in Hour
Children (Ages 0-8) | Read-aloud
Drop in to our hour of storytelling. Our educators will make our picture books come alive for your children. Our library of entertaining picture books will keep your kids interested all morning long.
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
Each picture book takes about 10 minutes to be read aloud.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
Thankful Jars
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+)
Think of all the things of your life that makes you feel gratitude. Now, let's write them down and put them away for safekeeping! This wellness craft is the perfect way to celebrate the season.
Practicing gratitude can enhance mental, emotional, and physical well-being
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors and Outdoors.
RSVP: RSVP required
Tiny Tots: Pumpkins
Children (Ages 3-6) | Class
Come to Jones Beach and join us for an exciting new activity every week. Your little one will get creative, get moving, and start learning about the fun of the outdoors and of science.
Theme: Pumpkins
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors, with possible short outdoor activity
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
STEAM Workshop: Clam Dissection
Children (Ages 7-12) | Activity
Join an educator each week to explore a different topic in science, technology, engineering, art, or mathematics through experiments, art projects, and more.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Kids’ Mindfulness Workshop
Children (Ages 7-12) | Activity
Your kids will take some time to use their senses to understand the world around them and learn ways to take care of their wellness.
Fee: free / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors, with outdoor walk if weather allows.
Distance: If weather allows, up to 1 miles of walking on sand and/or pavement.
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
BioBlitz: Changing Seasons
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Citizen Science
Help us catalog the species that can be found at Jones Beach State Park during the summer! Please have the free “iNaturalist” app pre-downloaded and bring your own smartphone to participate in this program.
We will be walking outdoors on our trails to find different species. Please dress for the weather.
Learn more about iNaturalist here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: Up to 1 mile of walking across sand and/or pavement
RSVP: RSVP Required
Storytime Corner Walk-in Hour
Children (Ages 0-8) | Read-aloud
Drop in to our hour of storytelling. Our educators will make our picture books come alive for your children. Our library of entertaining picture books will keep your kids interested all morning long.
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
Each picture book takes about 10 minutes to be read aloud.
Balloon Survey and Beach Cleanup
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Volunteer Event
Ages 12 and up—all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Plan to arrive by 10:00 am (schedule below). Help survey Jones Beach! NYS DEC and NYS Parks, with support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, hosts a Marine Debris survey and clean-up biannually. Come learn more about why this survey is so important! The duration depends on conditions but is expected to take 3-4 hours.
For this day at the beach, we will provide:
• PPE (gloves)
• Garbage bags
• Data recording materials
• Other equipment needed for the cleanup and survey
However, we ask that you please bring:
• Reusable water bottle
• Sun protection
• Weather appropriate clothing
• Closed toed shoes
• Lunch or light snack
Schedule:
10:00am—Welcome, Sign-in and registration (waivers and photo release) at Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center
10:30am—Introduction to staff, project, and research protocols
11:00am— Walk to beach
11:30 am—Survey and beach cleanup. Some groups will finish earlier than others. Survey's usually take between 2.5 - 5 hours depending on number of volunteers and the amount of trash present.
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Presented by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center with support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program
If there are questions, please feel free to reach out to francis.mcparland@dec.ny.gov or jbenc@parks.ny.gov.
Photography Hike
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Hike
State parks are a great place to explore from behind the lens of a camera! Photographers of all experience levels are invited to hike through the West End. Participants must provide their own camera equipment. Participants are welcome to use their phone cameras.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: Up to 2 miles of walking on sand and pavement.
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Program departs 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Fishing Clinic
Join an educator and learn about the fish that live in Jones Bay with our free rod and reel fishing clinic. All ages welcome. CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY
This program takes place at Jones Beach State Park Field 10 Fishing Piers
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
Adult Craft: Wire Wrap Jewelry
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Craft
Learn a new skill with us and create a craft to decorate your home, gift to a friend, or just to help you unwind and relax.
Theme: Wire Wrap Jewelry
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Tiny Tots: Autumn
Children (Ages 3-6) | Class
Come to Jones Beach and join us for an exciting new activity every week. Your little one will get creative, get moving, and start learning about the fun of the outdoors and of science.
Theme: Autumn
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors, with possible short outdoor activity
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Photography Hike
Adults & Teens (Ages 12+) | Hike
State parks are a great place to explore from behind the lens of a camera! Photographers of all experience levels are invited to hike through the West End. Participants must provide their own camera equipment. Participants are welcome to use their phone cameras.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors
Distance: Up to 2 miles of walking on sand and pavement.
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Program departs 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.
STEAM Workshop: Green Crab Dissection
Children (Ages 7-12) | Activity
Join an educator each week to explore a different topic in science, technology, engineering, art, or mathematics through experiments, art projects, and more.
Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: RSVP Required.
Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.
Storytime Corner Walk-in Hour
Children (Ages 0-8) | Read-aloud
Drop in to our hour of storytelling. Our educators will make our picture books come alive for your children. Our library of entertaining picture books will keep your kids interested all morning long.
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
Each picture book takes about 10 minutes to be read aloud.
Touch Tank Walk-in Hours
All Ages | Tours
Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!
Fee: Free
Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors
RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.
The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.