Children’s Programs
Check out the lists below to see our upcoming programs for children. Click on the name of the program to see more details and register.
Young Children
Put on some boots and bring your sense of exploration! This program is designed for children ages 2 – 5 accompanied by an adult. Participants will learn about nature, read a story, complete an art activity, and go for a short hike. This program takes place on the 1st Wednesday morning of the month. $4/members, $5/non – members. Pre-registration is required.
- September 6th: Bugs & Slugs
- October 4th: Nocturnal Nature
- November 1st: Adventures in Art
- December 6th: Cunning Coyotes
Tiny Trekkers is a weekly drop off program for ages 3 – 5. Preschoolers will explore our nearly 500 acres of preserve through hands-on experiences out in nature. This program runs from 9 – 11 a.m. on Tuesday mornings.
Tiny Trekkers is a great complement to part time preschool programs, as preparation for entering preschool or kindergarten, or even as an addition to a PreK/K homeschool program. Registration is offered by the month only and spots are limited. Children must be able to use the restrooms independently. Please see our Tiny Trekkers page for more details.
- Home Sweet Habitat: September 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th
- Creepy Crawlies: October 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th (no session on the 31st)
- Forest Fairy Tales: November 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th
- Who Eats Whom?: December 5th and 12th (no sessions on the 19th and 26th)
It’s time to get MESSY! Join our education team for a slew of messy activities to take part in. Paint, splash, squish and stomp through a variety of sensory – based activities. We’ll also head to the creek to splash in the water and mud! The best part? TNI cleans up the mess!
This program has an Early Childhood focus, for ages 2 – 6 years. This program takes place on August 26th from 9:30 – 11 am. Pre-registration is required. $5/member child, $7/non-member child. Adults and siblings 10 and up are free. Be sure to bring a change of clothes!
Students
Discovery Nature Club is an after school drop-off program for elementary students (1st – 5th grade). This fall, students will meet bi-weekly from 3 – 5 pm to explore the preserve and learn more about nature. Registration is by the month. See below for the monthly themes. $18/month session for members, $20/month session for non-members. Pre-registration is required.
- Waterside Wanderers: September 5th & 19th
- Scare Tactics: October 3rd & 17th
- Biodiversity: November 7th & 21st
- Elusive Ecosystems: December 5th
Need an evening off? Join us for a Kids Night Out! This 3 hour drop off program includes dinner and an evening of fun for ages 6 – 10 (with an occasional night offered for ages 10 – 14). This program is offered once a month on a Friday evening during the school year. Spaces are limited. See below for a description of our upcoming Kids Night Out. $30/member, $35/non-member. Pre-registration is required. Spots fill up fast!
- August 18th: Creek Crawlers
- 5 – 8 pm. What lives in the creek? Let’s find out! Join us for a night of creek walks and pond dipping.
- September 15th: City Critters
- 5 – 8 pm. Learn all about the animals that have adapted to city life.
- October 27th: Gnarly Nature
- 5 – 8 pm. Learn about the gross and creepy survival tactics in nature – just in time for Halloween!
- November 17th: Backwoods Base Camp (ages 10 – 14)
- 4 – 7 pm. Can you survive the evening at TNI? Forage for dinner, build a shelter, start a fire, and test out your survival skills. A real dinner is still provided at this Kids Night Out to complement our foraged items!
- December 8th: S’mores Quest
- 4 – 7 pm. Follow clues to navigate through the preserve. Along the way, complete challenges to earn all of the ingredients necessary to make the perfect s’more! We’ll finish the night at the campfire to cook our well-earned treat.
This drop off program provides a single camp day for students when schools are closed. Morning snack is included in the program pricing. Spaces are limited. This program runs from 9 am – 3 pm and is available to ages 6 – 12. See below for a description of our upcoming Outdoor EDventure Days. $50/members, $55/members, morning snack is included. Pre-registration is required.
- October 9th (Columbus Day): Camp Coldblood
- Learn about cold-blooded creatures that live here at the preserve.
- November 22nd (Thanksgiving Break): Forest Fanatics
- Spend the day in the forest! This day off camp is packed with activities to help us understand and explore the woods around us.
Test out our Children’s Outdoor Escape Room! Ages 9 and up can join us for a variety of nature-based missions. Each mission provides a variety of puzzles to help you escape. Our Children’s Outdoor Escape Rooms are suitable for ages 9 and up and take place entirely outdoors. This program runs for 1 hour and is only booked for one group at a time. Group size must be 2 – 8 people and children must be accompanied by an adult. $10/person for members, $12/person for non-members. Check out our specific topics below:
- Animal Adaptations (5th – 8th)
- Biomes (5th – 8th)
- Classification & Taxonomy (7th – 10th)
- Ecology (7th – 10th)
- Food Webs & Chains (4th – 7th)
- Life Cycles (3rd – 5th)
- Life Cycle of Stars (5th – 8th)
- Lunar & Solar Eclipse (4th – 8th)
- Moon Phases (4th – 9th)
- Parts of a Flower (4th – 7th)
- Plant Adaptations (5th – 8th)
- Plant & Animal Habitats (4th – 8th)
- Plant Parts (8th – 12th)
- Planets (4th – 9th)
- Solar System (4th – 9th)
- Space Rocks (4th – 9th)
Calling all homeschool families! This new program offering takes place on select Wednesdays from 10 – 11:30 am (K-5th) and select dates from 1 – 3pm (6-12th). Lessons may include hikes, nature exploration, games, experiments, and scientific surveys. All parents/guardians will also receive extension activities that can be completed at home with their whole family.
This program is geared towards students in K – 5th and 6th – 12th that are learning from home. Parents/guardians are required to attend with children for our K – 5th session. Students in the 6th – 12th grade sessions attend alone. $7/child for non-members, $5/child for members. Parents/guardians are free. Pre-registration is required.