Nature Explorations
28Apr
Fourth Fridays for Families: Birds and their Nests with Priscilla Hayes and Joanne Zuckerman (April 28)
Newsflash: birds do not live in nests year-round! They occupy nests only to lay and hatch eggs and raise their young, leaving the nests behind after the babies are sent out into the world. This means that birds have to build nests at least once every year—most starting from scratch instead of reusing old ones. Finding all the material and carefully fashioning it into a safe place to raise babies is a lot of work. You can help! Kids 3 to 6 and their caregivers can make-and-take a bird nesting material basket, allowing different wild birds to come and take things for their building. At home, you will want to hang it in a place where you can watch to see what the birds take. A bonus craft project will be “practical anthropology”—making pretend robin nests, complete with a lining of mud, to help us understand how hard birds work at making their nests. We will also do a bird walk and read more about birds and their nests. Please wear clothing you can get dirty in. Priscilla Hayes has been designing and implementing hands-on environmental education programs for children since the 1990s, when she started introducing children to recycling, reuse and composting through the Robbinsville Clean Communities and Recycling program. She was the school garden educator for three Princeton schools. Hayes is turning her backyard into a meadow for bees, butterflies, birds and native plants. Joanne Zuckerman has been a volunteer at BHWP for the past 6 years. As a psychiatric social worker, she specialized in the treatment of young children and developed programs to meet their needs. More recently, therapeutic horticulture has become another arrow in her quiver. She believes strongly that making a link with nature benefits everyone, even little folks. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
26May
Fourth Fridays for Families: May the Forest Be With You with Pam Newitt (May 26)
Kids 3 to 6 and their caregivers can join naturalist Pam Newitt for a fun-filled morning of exploration. Bring your budding naturalists as we discover the fascinating world of trees, forests and woodlands. A take-home craft project will wrap up the spring adventure. Pam Newitt has a B.S. in wildlife conservation from the University of Maryland, has been a professional interpretive naturalist since 1989 and is a long-time active presence at the Preserve. She loves walking woodland trails, looking up for birds and down at wildflowers. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
23Jun
Fourth Fridays for Families: Butterflies and Blooms with Pam Newitt (June 23)
Kids 3 to 6 and their caregivers can join naturalist Pam Newitt for a fun-filled morning of exploration. Bring your budding naturalist and join us for an exciting program as we discover the close relationship between plants and butterflies. A take-home craft project will wrap up this adventure. Pam Newitt has a B.S. in wildlife conservation from the University of Maryland, has been a professional interpretive naturalist since 1989 and is a long-time active presence at the Preserve. She loves walking woodland trails, looking up for birds and down at wildflowers. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
28Jul
Fourth Fridays for Families: Insect Safari with Pam Newitt (July 28)
Kids 3 to 6 and their caregivers can join naturalist Pam Newitt for a fun-filled morning of exploration. Bring your budding naturalist and join us for a safari into the meadow in search of all things six-legged! We will learn the difference between insects and their close cousins, catch some critters, learn about them and then let them go. A take-home craft project will wrap up the program. Pam Newitt has a B.S. in wildlife conservation from the University of Maryland, has been a professional interpretive naturalist since 1989 and is a long-time active presence at the Preserve. She loves walking woodland trails, looking up for birds and down at wildflowers. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
25Aug
Fourth Fridays for Families: Spiders and Their Kin with Pam Newitt (Aug. 25)
Kids 3 to 6 and their caregivers can join naturalist Pam Newitt for a fun-filled morning of exploration. Bring your budding naturalist for a close look at spiders. These often-misunderstood critters play an important role in a healthy habitat. Once you learn about their fascinating lives, we hope you too will learn to appreciate them. A take-home craft project will wrap up this program. Pam Newitt has a B.S. in wildlife conservation from the University of Maryland, has been a professional interpretive naturalist since 1989 and is a long-time active presence at the Preserve. She loves walking woodland trails, looking up for birds and down at wildflowers. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
22Sep
Fourth Fridays for Families: More than Just Honeybees with Priscilla Hayes and Joanne Zuckerman (Sept. 22)
Kids 3 to 6 and their adult caregivers can join Preserve naturalists Pracilla Haynes and Joanne Zuckerman for a fun-filled morning as we explore bees—from the honey bee, so familiar to all, to the wonderful diversity of native bees. Without the pollination done by bees and other pollinators, many of our foods would simply disappear. We will try out our own bee dances and make bee houses to take home for your own native bees, along with other activities. Please bring a snack for your child, as we will have a snack and talk period. Priscilla Hayes has been designing and implementing hands-on environmental education programs for children since the 1990s, when she started introducing children to recycling, reuse and composting through the Robbinsville Clean Communities and Recycling program. She was the school garden educator for three Princeton schools. Hayes is turning her backyard into a meadow for bees, butterflies, birds and native plants. Joanne Zuckerman has been a volunteer at BHWP for the past 6 years. As a psychiatric social worker, she specialized in the treatment of young children and developed programs to meet their needs. More recently, therapeutic horticulture has become another arrow in her quiver. She believes strongly that making a link with nature benefits everyone, even little folks. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
27Oct
Fourth Fridays for Families: Falling for Fall with Priscilla Hayes and Joanne Zuckerman (Oct. 27)
Kids 3 to 6 and their adult caregivers can join two naturalists for a fun-filled morning as we explore the changing of the seasons. Fall is a time when the earth regenerates itself, turning spring and summer greenery into food and seeds for the next year. We will hunt for fallen leaves, acorns and other wild samples from nature, make a crown and wand, try out leaf dancing and other activities. Please bring a snack for your child, as we will have a snack and talk period. Priscilla Hayes has been designing and implementing hands-on environmental education programs for children since the 1990s, when she started introducing children to recycling, reuse and composting through the Robbinsville Clean Communities and Recycling program. She was the school garden educator for three Princeton schools. Hayes is turning her backyard into a meadow for bees, butterflies, birds and native plants. Joanne Zuckerman has been a volunteer at BHWP for the past 6 years. As a psychiatric social worker, she specialized in the treatment of young children and developed programs to meet their needs. More recently, therapeutic horticulture has become another arrow in her quiver. She believes strongly that making a link with nature benefits everyone, even little folks. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
17Nov
Fourth Fridays for Families: Terrific Turkey Trek with Pam Newitt (Nov. 17)
Join naturalist Pam Newitt for a fun-filled morning of nature exploration. Bring your budding naturalist for a close look at turkeys. These secretive birds are rarely seen but occasionally heard in the Preserve. The indoor introduction and story will be followed by a walk through Penns Woods looking for signs the turkeys leave behind. A take-home craft project will wrap up the program. This program is for children ages 3 to 6 with an accompanying adult. Pam Newitt has a B.S. in wildlife conservation from the University of Maryland, has been a professional interpretive naturalist since 1989 and is a long-time active presence at the Preserve. She loves walking woodland trails, looking up for birds and down at wildflowers. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.
22Dec
Fourth Fridays for Families: A Long Winter’s Sleep with Priscilla Hayes and Joanne Zuckerman (Dec. 22)
Kids 3 to 6 and their adult caregivers will join two naturalists for a fun-filled morning exploring how both animals and plants rest over the winter to start fresh and new in the spring. Plants have multiple ways of winter sleep—both as adult plants (often without leaves) and as seeds. Some seeds need weeks of cold weather in order to germinate in the spring. We will make seed hibernation greenhouses to take home and observe, play “freeze tag” and enjoy other activities. Please bring a snack for your child, as we will have a snack and talk period. Priscilla Hayes has been designing and implementing hands-on environmental education programs for children since the 1990s, when she started introducing children to recycling, reuse and composting through the Robbinsville Clean Communities and Recycling program. She was the school garden educator for three Princeton schools. Hayes is turning her backyard into a meadow for bees, butterflies, birds and native plants. Joanne Zuckerman has been a volunteer at BHWP for the past 6 years. As a psychiatric social worker, she specialized in the treatment of young children and developed programs to meet their needs. More recently, therapeutic horticulture has become another arrow in her quiver. She believes strongly that making a link with nature benefits everyone, even little folks. Program Fee: $10 per child, $5 for each additional, $0 per adult (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount) Each child must be accompanied by an adult. One adult can attend no more than two children. Walks are weather dependent; please dress for the weather.