Homeschool Field Trip to Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge (Free Printable Packet!)

If you’re in the South Jersey area and need an idea for a fun homeschool field trip, you should totally consider visiting Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in Medford, NJ!

We live about a 30 minute drive away from Cedar Run and, while I sometimes complain about the distance, once we arrive, I remember that the drive is always totally worth it. It’s really a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the busy suburb we live in and get back in touch with nature.

What is Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge?

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge is a non-profit made up of a hiking trail, nature center, and wildlife rehabilitation hospital center.

Their wildlife hospital is very well known in the area. Especially in the warmer months when South Jersey residents are spending time outside, I see Facebook posts all.the.time asking for suggestions for places/people that can help hurt wild animals. I always recommend Cedar Run!

Their process for taking care of injured wild animals is very easy for local residents: just call them ahead of time to make sure they have space available and then, if there is room available, drive on over and drop off the animal for care. They do accept donations to help fund the rehabilitation of the animal and, while it is not required, I’m betting it’s certainly appreciated!

While the wildlife hospital is a big part of Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, I’d have to say that my family’s favorite part of Cedar Run are the trails and the wildlife housing area.

Featuring about 3 miles of trails, you can choose a variety of paths to take. To find your way, just look to the trees! If you’re on the white trail, for example, you’ll know you’re on the right track if you see a tree marked with a white spot every so often.

In addition to the tree markings, you’ll also know you’re on the right path by reading! And not just reading signs…reading a book! As you walk the trails, you’ll notice multiple plexiglass enclosed “stands.” Inside those “stands” are pages of a children’s book! The story may vary from visit to visit but, on our last visit, the book was all about the life of a tree…very fitting for a walk in the woods, don’t you think? My boys enjoyed stopping to read the pages along the trail. It’s a great way to incorporate literature into your nature walk!

After walking through the trails, you’ll arrive at their wildlife housing area. This is my absolute favorite part of Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge because I’m ALL about the animals. At any point in time, you can see up to 60 of their resident animals. This area is called “home” to animals that were once treated for an injury, but, for one reason or another, just would not be able to survive for long if released into the wild.

You’ll have to take a visit over to the refuge to see all the resident wildlife, but our favorites are the crows that squawk “hello!,” the bald eagles (they are GORGEOUS!), the blue jay, and the seagulls. It seems that we like birds, huh?

Learning Opportunities at Cedar Run

In addition to the informal learning opportunities on the trails and in the wildlife refuge, there are a number of educational programs available! From birthday parties, to field trips, to the refuge on wheels, there are plenty of opportunities for learning! They offer sessions specifically for homeschooling families (score!), and have summer camps and programs held on typical school “vacation” days, too.

Before you head over the animal refuge, you should definitely grab a copy of our FREE wildlife refuge activity packet! It includes scavenger hunts, writing prompts, an art prompt, and even a brief “animal report” sheet. Just print and go, I totally recommend clipping the pages onto a clipboard for easy completion on location.

If you want to incorporate some wildlife units into your homeschool days before visiting the refuge, check out our book lists!

20 Bird Books for Kids

20 Fantastic Forest Books for Kids

How to get Tickets

Before you head over to Woodford Cedar Run Animal Refuge, you’ll need to figure out your entry! There are a number of options!

• Groupon
  • I can often find deals on Groupon for Cedar Run tickets! To increase your savings a bit more, consider purchasing through Rakuten to earn cash back, too!
• Local Library
  • If you live in New Jersey, check out your local library for tickets! Many libraries offer the opportunity to reserve and borrow memberships to local educational attractions for free!
• Become a Member
  • A membership for Cedar Run is super reasonable and comes with many perks! You might even consider following their Facebook or Instagram feeds, too, to keep an eye on any upcoming membership specials.
  • If you’ll just be in the area for a short while, single entry tickets can be purchased online or even on location. Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge is located at 4 Sawmill Road, Medford, NJ 08055

Have you gotten to experience Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge yet? Please share your experiences in the comments if so!

If not, we hope you’ll take an opportunity to visit them in the future!

Until next time, stay safe and enjoy quality time with your family,