Earth Day Bouquet Schedule of Events
Events take place at Nature Net sites between April 10-23 - with a bonus event on April 30! Registration, fees and details vary. Click each link for details.
% indicates registration is required. $ indicates a fee.
Sunday, April 10
Dane County Parks
Visit!
Come out and enjoy the trails in the parks and grounds. Visit the Lussier Family Heritage Center from dawn to dusk and see your local ecosystems in action.
UW Arboretum
All About Frogs 12:30-3:30pm
Learn why frogs sing in the spring and other fascinating facts about their lifestyle. Participate in an outdoor family frog walk in addition to indoor family activities.
Monday, April 11
Madison Children's Museum
Rooftop Scientists 11-11:30am
Come up to the Rooftop Ramble for a fun introduction to hands-on sky-high science! Topics include weather, astronomy, botany, biology, and alternative energy.
Tuesday, April 12
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Celebrate Spring with Flowers! 10-11am
Play and learn with your youngster in this fun, hands-on series focused on the seasonal change, focused around spring flowers. Ages 2-4 with adult. % $
Madison Children's Museum
Rooftop Farmers 3-3:30pm
Help with the daily chores of taking care of a rooftop farm in the sky. Feed the animals and water the plants, harvest vegetables, plant a seed, prepare and taste homegrown food, and do nature crafts.
Aldo Leopold Foundation
Self-Guided Tours 10am-3pm
Take a peek at the country's first LEED-platinum facility, tour the Leopold family shack and learn about Aldo Leopold and his environmental work. Wander the grounds to see sprouting wildflowers and spring wildlife.
Wednesday, April 13
MacKenzie Environmental Education Center
Hike and Explore on Your Own
Learn about the environment and be inspired to take care of it! Museum and wildlife exhibits are open 8am-4pm; trails are open dawn until dusk.
Community GroundWorks
Explore Troy Gardens
Wander through the prairie and the woodland, around the organic farm and community gardens. Don't forget to stop at the Kids' Garden before you leave to meet the chickens! Visit from sunrise to sunset.
Thursday, April 14
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Hike and Learn!
Come hike the Leopold Family Trail, learn about Aldo Leopold with a hands-on exhibit, or check out the Family Trailside Backpack for loads of outdoor fun! Visit anytime between 9am-4pm.
UW Arboretum
Wander the Trails
View many distinct ecological communities, several horticultural collections, effigy mounds, historic artifacts, a Visitor Center and more than 20 miles of trail system. Visitor Center is open weekdays from 9:30am–4pm, and trails from dawn to dusk.
Friday, April 15
UW Geology Museum
Take a Self-Guided Tour
Appreciate the Earth by learning what goes on deep inside our planet. Take a peek into Wisconsin’s geological history by touching rocks from long ago, standing in a glowing cave, and looking up into the tusks of mastodon. Museum hours are 8:30am-4:30pm.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Garden Exploration
Visit and view the outdoor gardens just starting to sprout. If sprouts aren't your thing, admission to the tropical Bolz Conservatory is free from 10am-12pm.
Saturday, April 16
International Crane Foundation
Annual Midwest Crane Count 5:30-7:30am
Help ICF monitor the Eastern population of Greater Sandhill Cranes as they return to their breeding grounds in the Midwest. You might even be lucky enough to spot a member of the reintroduced flock of endangered Whooping Cranes!
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Isthmus Green Day 9am-5pm
Get geared up for a full day of family fun with ALNC at the 4th Annual Isthmus Green Day eco-celebration at the Monona Terrace! Includes eco-expert presentations, entertainment and sustainable children’s activities.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Garden Silks: Making Silk Scarves with Botanical Dyes 9-11am
Create beautifully dyed silk scarves using common garden plants and grocery store finds such as blueberries and tea leaves with Shelley Ryan, host of Public Television’s Wisconsin Gardener. Grades 6+. % $
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Great Eggspectations 9:30-11:30am; 1:30-3:30pm
Hear the legend of the rabbit and adorn your own spring basket using materials from the land. Hike to search for basket trimmings and dye eggs naturally. % $
Madison Children's Museum
Family Farm Day 11am-3pm
Gather your family and friends to see, taste, and experience what Wisconsin's agriculture has to offer. This hands-on event is sure to make you moo with delight!
Sunday, April 17
Henry Vilas Zoo
Conservation Celebrations 9:30am-5pm
Gear up for Earth Day with the Zoo! Hands-on exhibits, demonstrations, displays and give-aways will teach your family about alternative energy, tree planting and the environment.
UW Geology Museum
Open House 12-4pm
Learn about glaciers and the last Ice Age at the UW Geology Museum. This fun family event includes activities for the kids and special museum hours.
UW Arboretum
Wildflower Walk 1-2:30pm
Join this afternoon walk along the trails of Gallistel Woods to look for early spring wildflowers, such as bloodroot, toothwort and spring beauty.
Monday, April 18
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Slime and Scales Mini-Camp 9am-4pm
Become a herpetologist for the day in this “ribbiting” investigation! Visit the pond and marsh to listen closely for croaks, chirps, trills and whistles and learn how to identify and search for all things slippery or slithery. % $
Cherokee Marsh
Hike the Marsh
Discover spring and hike the marsh at your leisure. Look and listen for wetland wildlife emerging for spring. Open from dawn to dusk.
Tuesday, April 19
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Which Came First? Mini-Camp 9am-4pm
Learn all about eggs and animals that lay them. Make birds’ nests using natural materials and dye an egg to mimic those made by wild critters. Search for returning birds, look at feathers and wings and practice bird calls. % $
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Celebrate Spring with Birds! 10-11am
Play and learn with your youngster in this fun, hands-on series focused on the seasonal change and celebrates spring birds. Ages 2-4 with adult. % $
Wednesday, April 20
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Communities Mini-Camp 9am-4pm
Celebrate Earth Week by exploring all the ecosystems at ALNC! March through the marsh, frolic in the forest, plant seeds in the prairie, splash through the pond, and learn about all the habitats both humans and animals call home. % $
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Nature Printing with Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers 10-11:30am
Create your own unique and beautiful botanical cards, stationary, and wrapping paper with art printing using herbs, fruits, and flowers. Grades 3-5. % $
Thursday, April 21
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Pioneer Days Mini-Camp 9am-4pm
Turn off the TV and join in some old-fashioned fun! Spend the day playing pioneer games and learn how pioneers lived off the land through fun and exciting explorations. % $
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
A Rainforest in Your Living Room 10-11:30am
Make the rainforest come alive by learning about tropical rainforests, and then creating your own rainforest diorama. Bring a shoebox-size box. Grades 3-5. % $
UW Geology Museum
Story Time 10:30am
Museum story time is geared toward preschool-aged children and features a book, museum specimens and a craft to take home.
Nature Net
Earth Day Open House 3-5pm
Visit the Aldo Leopold Nature Center to see a sneak peak of the new building, learn about Nature Net’s new Family Nature Clubs, and explore the grounds and trails. Fun for all ages!
Madison Children's Museum
Green Building Tour 5-6pm
Take a free building tour that points out Madison Children’s Museum’s sustainable features, along with salvaged and repurposed materials. Tour is geared towards adults but welcomes all ages. %
Friday, April 22
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Botanical Dyes 10-11:30am
Instead of coloring your eggs with a kit from the store, why not come to Olbrich and learn how to use natural plant dyes to color eggs? Bring 6 hard-boiled eggs. Grades 3-5. % $
Saturday, April 23
Madison Children's Museum
Earth Day Celebration 10am-12pm
Celebrate the Earth! Hands-on family activities will demonstrate principles of renewable energy, energy conservation, water conservation and recycling. Visit the Art Studio to make an Aztec sun calendar.
Madison Parks
Earth Day Challenge!
Madison Parks are challenging volunteers to make this day a citywide clean-up! Pick a park and get your friends and neighbors together to clean up your community. After a long winter, this is a perfect time to get outside and help your neighborhood park by weeding, mulching, maintenance or litter pick-up. %
BONUS EVENT: Saturday, April 30
Bethel Horizons Nature Center
Earth Day Celebration 9am-5pm
Enjoy beautiful wildflowers, a magnificent view and an abundance of migrating birds through a variety of environmental activities, demonstrations and speakers emphasizing the beauty and importance of nature.
Program fees and registration vary. For information, registration details and more on all these events, click each link.
Let us know what you think! Post comments and photos of your Earth Day Bouquet Experiences on Nature Net's Facebook page. And don’t forget to check out all the Nature Net sites for programs and special events throughout the year at naturenet.com!http://www.naturenet.com/earthweek.html
There is a chance you're eligible for a new government solar rebate program.
ReplyDeleteFind out if you are eligble now!