Group Programs for Children
Booking Information
Booking a Group Program
After reading through this page, fill out the booking form below. Our staff will confirm your booking if space is available, or contact you for more information if needed. Once confirmed, our cancellation policy will apply. You can also book a program over the phone during the week at 604-990-3755 or by email at [email protected].
Group Program Fees
Our program fees vary according to group size and the type of program. Our 2025 fees are:
- $3.00 – per child for virtual and self-guided programs – Eco Quest, Eye Spy, Forest Quest
- $2.00 – per person (children and leaders) to visit the Ecology Centre and watch a nature video
Minimum cost of $60.00 for virtual programs with less than 20 children. Minimum cost of $30.00 for self-guided programs with less than 10 children.
Cancellation Policy
Any program cancellations will be charged a $25 administration fee.
Program Options
Museum Visit
Suitable for all ages – maximum 30 children plus adults
30 minutes self-guided through the Ecology Centre | $2.00 per person
Look around our interactive displays and learn about the plants, animals and human connections in the environment.
Optional: enjoy a short nature film in our theatre.
Eye Spy
Suitable for 3 to 6 year olds – maximum 30 children plus adults
30 minute self-guided Ecology Centre tour – $3.00 per child
Go on a scavenger hunt to discover nature pictures hidden in the Ecology Centre displays.
Optional: enjoy a short nature film in our theatre.
Eco Quest
Suitable for ages 7 to 12 – maximum 30 children plus adults
45 minute self-guided Ecology Centre tour – $3.00 per child
Go on a quest for nature knowledge! The Eco Quest takes your students through the Ecology Centre’s displays. Get interactive with our displays as you find the answers to the scavenger hunt questions and decode the secret message.
Optional: enjoy a short nature film in our theatre.
Forest Quest
Suitable for ages 7 to 12 – maximum 30 children plus adults
1.5 hour self-guided rainforest tour – $3.00 per child
Take your group on an adventure along the Twin Falls Loop Trail that combines a treasure hunt and ecology knowledge! Led by clues and a forest map, your group will decode the mysteries of temperate rainforest plants and animals, searching for the secret of life in the rainforest. You’ll also have a chance to view forest life up close with our amazing projector!
Monday to Friday at 10 am to 11 am or 1 pm to 2 pm.
Cost: $3.00 per child.
What’s for Lunch
Best suited for ages 5 to 10.
The forest is full of food and animals need to find it. Discover the food chains of Lynn Canyon Park! We’ll read a story, search for animals eating food in the forest, and take a look at animal teeth and claws.
Earth Explorers
Best suited for ages 5 to 10.
If you love worms, soil, and fossils, this program will help you explore the world beneath your feet. We’ll show you fossils from Walter Draycott’s collections, and learn about animals that use rocks and soil as their home.
Going Buggy
Best suited for ages 5 to ten.
Do the kids in your group love bugs? We’ll read a buggy story, find some bugs living in the forest near the Ecology Centre, and then zoom in for a close-up look at a bug friend with our special magnifier.
Once Upon A Tree
Best suited for ages 7 to 14.
Get to know all about the trees of Lynn Canyon Parks. Find out how they clean water and create food and habitat for animals.
Park Use Permits
Park Use Permits are required for all groups running programs or events in District of North Vancouver Parks. Please visit the North Vancouver Recreation Commission (NVRC) website and fill out the application under the ‘Temporary park use permit for business and non-profit organizations’ tab here. Apply at least 2 weeks in advance of your visit. If you book a program or visit to the Ecology Centre, you do not need to apply for a Park Use Permit.
Additional Options
Trail and Habitat Restoration
Volunteer in our District of North Vancouver parks to remove invasive plants, plant native species, and restore park areas. Please go to the District of North Vancouver Volunteer in a Park page for more information.
Room Rental
Looking for an indoor space for your visit to Lynn Canyon Park? We rent out the upper room in the Lynn Canyon Cafe. This room can hold 40 people classroom/theatre style or 25 people around tables. Please go to our Room Rental page for more information and fill out the inquiry form if you are interested in booking.
Getting Ready for Your Visit
How to Prepare
Review the information sent to you by e-mail. View a map of the area here.
Plan to arrive in the park at least 15 minutes before your program begins, for a snack and washroom break. There is no snack break during our programs and eating is not allowed in the Ecology Centre.
It’s often wet in the mountains, even if it’s not raining elsewhere in Metro Vancouver. Make sure that students and adult assistants are dressed for the weather. Please ask your students and assistants to come wearing layers, with waterproof boots and a waterproof jacket. Rain pants are also highly recommended!
Remind students and adults that the forest is a great place to unwind… and unplug. Please leave electronic devices at home. If you’d like to take photographs, keep your camera or phone in a zippered pocket during the rest of the field trip to make sure that it is safe and dry.
When you arrive at the Ecology Centre, check in at the front desk. As your students explore the Centre, our program staff will speak with you about the program and the learning needs of your group.
If you are planning on eating lunch after the program, please note there are undercover picnic tables located between the upper and lower parking lots. The undercover picnic tables can be booked in advance through the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission (NVRC).
Getting to the Park
Lynn Canyon Park is easy to access.
- Public transit. Take the #227 community shuttle* to Peters Road at Duval Road or the #228 bus to Burrill Avenue and Lynn Valley Road. *The community shuttle is a smaller bus and cannot take a large group.
- Private bus. All buses entering the park are required to purchase a bus permit. We give out complimentary bus permits to group coming to the Ecology Centre for programs. If you are only coming for a museum visit, you will be required to purchase a bus permit.
- Car. The closest parking to the Ecology Centre is the upper paved parking lot. Pay parking is in effect seasonally from March 1 to October 31. Parking is $3 per hour, for a maximum of 4 hours. District residents are eligible to purchase a $10 (+GST) seasonal DNV Park Parking Pass that will enable them to park in the lot without paying the hourly rate. More information is available here.