Nature Explorations
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.