Daggerwing Nature Center

About

Educational nature programs run by Palm Beach County naturalists who use live animals like snakes, owls, and baby alligators during hands-on presentations. Kids get to touch resident animals and explore a 3,000-square-foot exhibit hall plus an elevated boardwalk trail through a swamp where you can spot turtles, birds, and native wildlife. Perfect for families with elementary-age kids looking for a short but engaging nature experience. Programs include "Mother Nature & Me" for toddlers, animal keeper experiences, butterfly gardening workshops, and outdoor skills like archery and dipnetting. The boardwalk leads to a three-story observation tower that kids love to climb, and most visits run under two hours.

Nature park & exhibit hall with live animals & interactive features, plus scenic boardwalk trails

Programs (31)

• Sensational Snakes

  Workshop
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  A family-friendly program where kids learn about snakes and meet one up close with a naturalist. All ages welcome for this educational session about these slithering serpents. Multiple dates offered throughout the year.

• Orienteering

  Workshop
  · Wednesday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn to navigate using a map and compass, then practice these directional skills on a fun outdoor adventure course. Your child should bring water, sun protection and closed-toe shoes for this active program. Great for kids 8+ and adults who want to learn navigation skills together.

• Outdoor Adventure Programs

  Workshop
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn outdoor skills like archery, fishing, dipnetting and orienteering from certified instructors, then practice their new abilities with hands-on activities. Programs have different participant limits so contact the nature center for specifics. Perfect for groups wanting adventure-based learning experiences.

• Animal Keeper for a Day

  Workshop
  · Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids work behind the scenes with animal care staff to feed animals, clean exhibits and provide enrichments for the nature center's wildlife ambassadors. Your kid learns hands-on what it takes to care for these special animals. Perfect for kids 8+ who want to experience real animal care work.

• Wetland Habitats: Piece by Piece

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn about wetland ecosystems through interactive activities with live animals, models and educational materials. Program is designed for school groups K-12 and incorporates educational standards. Your child discovers how different pieces of wetland habitats work together.

• The World of Butterflies and Insects

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  Kids discover butterflies and insects through hands-on experiences with live specimens, models and interactive activities. Available for both school groups K-12 and specialty groups like camps. Naturalists tailor the program to your child's age and educational level.

• Dipnetting

  Workshop
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids collect small pond animals from wetland water, then observe and identify their findings to discover what creatures naturally live there. Your child should bring water, sun protection and closed-toe shoes that can get wet and muddy. Perfect for kids 8+ who want hands-on water exploration.

• Mother Nature & Me

  Class
  Ages 2–5· Tuesday· Morning· Paid

  Toddlers and preschoolers jump and shout through stories, live animals, activities and crafts designed specifically for their age group. Your kid will need a guardian present for this interactive program. Each session focuses on different themes like fishy friends or beautiful butterflies.

• Monthly Animal Feedings & Talks

  Class
  · Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday· Afternoon· Free

  Kids listen to short educational talks while watching staff feed the nature center's resident animals like snakes, turtles, and other wildlife ambassadors. Perfect for all ages and no reservations needed. Happens multiple times per week with different animals featured each session.

• Florida Animal Experience

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  Kids meet live animals and learn about Florida's native wildlife through hands-on experiences with models, interesting facts and fun materials. Programs are tailored to your child's educational level from K-12 for school groups or camp/youth groups. Naturalists use engaging activities to teach about local plants, animals and conservation.

• Room Rental Birthday Parties

  Birthday Party
  · Variable

  Kids celebrate birthdays at the nature center with room rental options that can be combined with educational programs. Your child gets a private space for their party with the option to add wildlife encounters and nature activities. Contact the center for availability and pricing details.

• Nature Scavengers

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids explore nature through scavenger hunt activities designed for specialty groups like camps, youth groups and social clubs. Your child searches for and learns about different natural elements in an engaging outdoor format. Available year-round for groups of all ages.

• Intro to Archery

  Workshop
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids practice archery safety, skills and proper bow technique before shooting on the range with USA Archery certified staff. Equipment is provided but bows may be difficult for smaller children to pull. Adults and kids 8+ can participate together.

• Life Cycles: Amphibians

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  Kids explore amphibian life cycles through interactive learning with live animals, models and educational materials. Program is designed for school groups K-12 and incorporates educational standards. Your child learns about frogs, toads and other amphibians through age-appropriate activities.

• Sensational Snakes

  Class
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn about snakes and meet one up close and personal with a naturalist leading this family-friendly program. Perfect for all ages to discover amazing facts about these slithering serpents. Your kid gets hands-on experience with live snake ambassadors.

• Butterfly Gardening

  Workshop
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn about local butterflies and discover which plants attract different species to create their own butterfly garden. Your child will get a guided tour of the nature center's butterfly garden to see the concepts in action. Great for kids 5+ and adults who want to garden with wildlife in mind.

• Butterfly Gardening

  Workshop
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn about local butterflies and discover which plants attract different species for home gardens. Ages 5 and up can participate with adults in this educational workshop. Includes a guided tour of the nature center's butterfly garden.

• Room Rental/Birthday Parties

  Birthday Party
  · Paid

  Private birthday party options with classroom rental available in combination with educational programs. Can be customized for different age groups with nature center programming. Contact the facility for pricing and availability details.

• Nature Scavengers

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday· Morning· Paid

  60-minute nature exploration program for specialty groups including camps, youth groups, and social clubs. Available year-round for groups wanting hands-on nature discovery activities. Led by naturalists using interactive educational materials and exploration activities.

• Animal Keeper for a Day

  Workshop
  · Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids work behind the scenes with animal care staff to feed animals, clean exhibits, and create enrichment activities. Perfect for ages 8 and up who want hands-on experience caring for the nature center's animal ambassadors. Multiple dates available throughout the year.

• Life Cycles: Amphibians

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  School program focused on amphibian life cycles tailored to educational level K-12. Available only during the Palm Beach County school year and designed to incorporate CPALMS standards. 90-minute sessions led by naturalists using live animals and educational materials.

• Intro to Archery

  Workshop
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn archery safety, proper bow technique, and arrow handling before practicing on the range. Taught by USA Archery certified staff with all equipment provided. Note that bows may be challenging for smaller children to pull.

• Mother Nature & Me

  Class
  Ages 2–5· Tuesday· Morning· Paid

  Toddlers and preschoolers jump and shout through nature stories, live animal encounters, hands-on activities and crafts. Built specifically for ages 2-5 with guardian participation required. Themes change monthly covering topics like butterflies, fishy friends, and other nature subjects.

• Outdoor Adventure Programs

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday· Morning· Paid

  90-minute programs where certified instructors train kids in outdoor skills like archery, fishing, dipnetting, and orienteering. Groups practice new skills with instructor assistance after initial training. Different programs have varying participant limits so contact the nature center for specifics.

• The World of Butterflies and Insects

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  Educational program about butterflies and insects using live specimens and interactive materials. Available for both school groups during the school year and specialty groups year-round. 90-minute school sessions or 60-minute specialty group programs led by naturalists.

• Monthly Animal Feedings & Talks

  Workshop
  · Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday· Afternoon· Free

  Kids listen to short educational talks about resident animals during feeding time. Happens multiple times per week and covers different animals each session. No reservations needed so you can drop in anytime during scheduled hours.

• Florida Animal Experience

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  Educational programs using live animals, models, and interactive materials to teach about Florida's native plants and animals. Tailored to different grade levels K-12 for school groups or offered to specialty groups year-round. Led by naturalists who incorporate hands-on learning and conservation topics.

• Orienteering

  Workshop
  · Wednesday· Morning· Paid

  Kids learn navigation using map and compass then practice directional skills on an outdoor adventure course. For ages 8 and up with naturalist instruction. Bring water, sun protection, and closed-toe shoes for the outdoor activities.

• Daggerwing Visits the Library

  Workshop
  · Tuesday· Afternoon· Free

  Special nature programs featuring live animal ambassadors from the nature center held at local library branches. Ages 5 and up can learn about different animals like frogs, toads, and alligators. Programs held at West Boca and Glades Road library locations.

• Dipnetting

  Workshop
  · Saturday· Morning· Paid

  Kids collect small pond animals from wetland water and learn to observe and identify their findings. For ages 8 and up who don't mind getting wet and muddy shoes. Bring water, sun protection, and closed-toe shoes that can handle water.

• Wetland Habitats: Piece by Piece

  Class
  · Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday· Morning· Paid

  School program exploring wetland ecosystems and habitats tailored to K-12 grade levels. Available during Palm Beach County school year and incorporates CPALMS educational standards. 90-minute sessions led by naturalists using hands-on materials and live animals.