Discover the world of a maple tree in spring. Participate in a traditional syruping program but with a twist: all parts will be offered in the classroom, with the option to venture outdoors to the most accessible maple tree. Identify a maple tree and try tapping tools. Experience the art of sugaring, learn how sap is boiled into syrup and sample the final product.

Take your art materials outside! Immerse yourself in nature while using hike-able art mediums such as watercolor or drawing. Practice nature journaling and learn new art techniques such as printmaking. This camp includes lots of reflection time, outdoor time and hiking. We recommend this camp for kids who already have a high interest in art and that want to learn some unique art mediums in nature.

Trees deserve a day of celebration! Learn how to identify six different trees found in Elm Creek Park Reserve by investigating their bark, leaves and trunk. Practice aging a tree to find the age of the oldest tree around the nature center. Put your newfound skills to the test by taking a self-guided hike to identify marked trees along the trail. Drop in anytime. Each family will receive a free tree sapling to grow at home. Each group must include at least one registered adult, age 18+. $10/group (1-5 people per group).

Tensions are rising in the forest. The dryads have been under attack by a mysterious group and have lost touch with their sisters. Help them find their missing kin while determining who is behind the attacks. Learn how forests are impacted by new plants and animals and help the forest around Eastman Nature Center by removing invasive species. This camp will involve playing Dungeons and Dragons inside and doing activities outside. No previous experience with D&D is necessary.

Frolic in the enchanted forest and hunt for your sparkling wand. Search for dazzling damselflies, water nymphs and other fairy-sized creatures in the pond. Chase dragonflies, butterflies and moths in the prairie, leave a message in a magical mailbox to reveal fairy mysteries and create a fairy house.

Are you new to the idea of summer camp? Have you ever wondered how to introduce your child to summer camp? Focus will be to have first time campers all together, building new friendships and exploring parks to increase confidence outdoors. We will experience some classic camp activities like building forts, meeting nature center animals and playing games to make new friends. Extended care available for an additional $48; drop-off begins at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up ends at 5 p.m.

Discover how to survive in the woods. Practice keeping a fire lit and build an emergency shelter. Learn to overcome obstacles in your path and hone your skills in off-trail games. Find your way through the woods with the Geocaching Challenge. This is a great sibling camp that can be divided into smaller groups by age. Extended care available for an additional $60; drop-off begins at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up ends at 5 p.m.

Are you looking for new trails to explore in 2026? Do it while connecting to the rivers and waters in the Park District, as part of our 2026 Big Year of Rivers. First, a naturalist will be available to suggest trails at Eastman that meet your needs and goals. Then, keep the momentum going with a list of trail suggestions for the other Three Rivers' parks you can to visit this year. The possibilities are endless! Free. No reservations required.

Did you know some of the maple trees at Eastman are over 100 years old? Learn how to use math to age a tree and see if you can find the oldest tree in our maple sugarbush. Enjoy a self-led walk through the woods and taste a sample of our delicious syrup. On-going, drop in anytime.

Spring is a time when animals look for a mate, and frogs do it by singing. Come discover the different sounds frogs make, which frogs live in Minnesota and what makes frogs unique. Meet our animal ambassador frogs. Drop in anytime.

Venture off-trail to our Chickadee Landing bird feeder station with a naturalist. Learn about birds in the winter, then sit with birdseed in hand to see if any birds visit up close. For all ages but best for those that can sit still and quiet for several minutes. Small groups will be brought out at 1, 1:30, 2 and 2:30 p.m.

Stop by and learn the process of turning maple syrup into sugar. Sample the final result.

Step into spring and the maple syrup season by helping to collect sap from our maple trees! Visit the boiling cauldron and learn how we turn sap into the sweet syrup that you can taste before you leave. This activity is perfect for all ages. Drop in anytime.

It's maple syrup season and the work has begun. Join staff for a short tree-tapping demonstration out among the maples. Groups will be taken off-trail into the sugarbush to watch the tree-tapping at 1, 1:30, 2 and 2:30 p.m. Drop in at one of those times to observe the process.

Get ready for a series of maple syrup programs that take you from maple tree identification to tapping, collecting and sugaring. Each Sunday we will highlight a different part of the maple syrup process. This first session will focus on how to identify maple trees in winter for tapping before leaves emerge. Drop in anytime.

Create some art using a pipette, baking soda, vinegar and special PH paper. Explore acidic and basic properties and see what colors they reveal on the paper. All supplies provided. Drop in anytime.

Enjoy a fire in our fire pit and explore what makes cottontail rabbits unique. Check out furs, skulls, and other rabbit artifacts and learn how they survive in the park. Drop in anytime!

Inspired by block world-building video games, we have gamified our maple woods. Use your imagination to harvest maple sap blocks from our trees to make maple syrup. If only it were that easy! Just like in a game, there are so many steps to having a sugarbush: grow maple trees, collect bones, boil the sap blocks and more. This pretend game comes with a real sweet treat at the end. Drop in anytime between 1–2 p.m. to start the game.

Does your child have a special adult in their life like a grandparent, aunt or friend? Together, they can share time in the woods learning about nature, meeting our animal ambassadors and building special memories. This is designed for youth and an older adult. Parents get to hear the stories later! $131/pair. Ages 6-9 plus adult. NOTE: There is no additional child rate for this camp; all registrations are priced per pair.

Drop off your homeschool student to be immersed in outdoor discoveries. Students will explore the world of environmental science through questioning, discovery, information sharing, record keeping through nature journaling, evaluation and reflection. Designed for curious kids who would enjoy working in a group; must be able to attend most sessions. Schedule: March 3 & 17 April 7 & 21 May 5 & 19

What makes different animal life cycles unique? Search for hidden animals, reconstruct their life cycles and act out each life stage. Participate in the baby bird nest challenge and meet a live amphibian.

Discover the amphibians around Eastman Nature Center. Learn what makes amphibians unique from other animals. Search around Eastman to find the habitats amphibians need to survive. Meet several live amphibians.

Learn how to measure the speed of a stream and make predictions on how that effects erosion. Use your data to map where the stream is now and where you predict it will be in the future.

Color is everywhere, and capturing some to keep can be fun and messy! Learn about respectful collection of natural materials, then take a short hike to sample from the woods, fields and trails around Eastman Nature Center. Use a mortar and pestle to release the essence of flower, leaf and soil, and create your own palette before creating a painted record of the shades you discover.

Your maple syrup is nearly done, what now? Learn about the techniques and tools for finishing off maple syrup and tips for making sure your syrup is done. Get hands-on experience filtering and bottling a batch of the nature center's syrup. See how you can substitute maple syrup for sugar in recipes and bake a special treat using syrup. To learn how to tap trees, collect sap and start the cooking process, register for the How to Make Maple Syrup: Starting Your Syrup Season class on March 5 or 7.

Do you want to make maple syrup at home? This class will cover maple tree identification, the tapping process, and the tools needed for tapping, collecting and storing the sap. You will leave knowing what equipment you need and with resources to help you start your own syrup season. We will review how to cook sap into syrup and you will be introduced to the tools that are used to finish off your maple syrup. For more in-depth instruction on cooking and finishing syrup, register for the How to Make Maple Syrup: Finishing Off and Cooking with Syrup class on March 28.

As the weather starts to warm up, amphibians like frogs and salamanders will start to move from their hibernating homes to their breeding spots. Learn about the amphibians of Minnesota in a presentation followed by meeting live amphibians in person: a toad, frog and salamander.

Listen to a presentation all about the black bears of Minnesota, including what to do if you see a bear and about the bear often found in Elm Creek Park Reserve. Afterward, go on a bear myth-busting hike to learn about animal signs, like tracks, scat and more, that people often confuse for bears.

What lives in and under a log? Furry, slimy, crawly, scaly… use different tools to explore these amazing microhabitats and discover all the amazing arthropods and other creatures that call logs and soils their home! This camp is designed for youth who like to get their hands dirty and go off-trail. Extended care available for an additional $36; drop-off begins at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up ends at 5 p.m.

Is your child ready for the next level of outdoor exploration? Do they enjoy time in the woods and off-trail? This camp will take a deeper dive into being comfortable in the outdoors. We will introduce knot tying skills and build advanced geodome shelters with rope. We will make simple sitting stools, practice fire building, sample nature journaling, and introduce whittling skills with focus on safety and different wood types.

Celebrate the start of spring by taking part in a centuries-long tradition at the Maple Syrup Festival! Visit the sugarbush, collect fresh sap, and explore the history and science of maple syrup. Warm up by a steaming cauldron and watch sap transform into syrup (weather permitting). Taste maple syrup, learn how to make maple sugar and enjoy syrup sundaes. Drop in anytime.

Visit the sugarbush on a small group tour and discover the world of a maple tree in spring. Tap a maple tree, delve into the history of Indigenous people who discovered the art of sugaring, visit the cauldron where sap is cooked into syrup and taste the final product.

Jack, our great horned owl, is celebrating his hatching time! Join in the festivities as you play games, learn about owls along a short hike and touch owl artifacts. Create some owl art using natural materials, spend time visiting with our owl and enjoy a birthday treat. Solve the mystery owl code and get a prize. This program will be held mostly outdoors.

Discover nature on the bookshelf and with your preschooler. $6/person. Ages: 0-6 plus adult. Under 2 is free but must register.

Watch a puppet show as our puppets have adventures in the woods and fields. After the show a head out on the trail for a short activity. $5/person. Ages: 3-6, plus adult.

Explore nature with your preschooler as you both participate in hands-on discoveries. Listen to the book "The Salamander Room" by Anne Mazer. Meet and touch our animal ambassador salamander. Make a salamander art project, and go for a hike in the woods in search of salamander hiding places. $6/person. Ages: 3-5, plus adult.

Become explorers and leave no stone unturned! Use microscopes, magnifiers and nets to discover creatures in the pond, woods and prairie habitats. Games, live animal visitors and hiking are all part of the adventure. Discovery awaits. This is a great sibling camp that can be divided into groups by age. Extended care available for an additional $48; drop-off begins at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up ends at 5 p.m.

As the weather starts to warm up, amphibians like frogs and salamanders will start to move from their hibernating homes to their breeding spots. Are the frogs in Minnesota safe if they touch me? What is that sound at night? And other questions will be answered as we talk about the amphibians who live in Minnesota.

Spring is a common time of year when black bear activity is noticeable. They are awake and looking for food. Depending on the year there may not be a lot of food available yet, so they might roam around neighborhoods. Learn the basics about bears in Minnesota, including what to do if you see a bear, and even about the bear that is believed to hibernate in Elm Creek Park Reserve.

Go on a discovery mission and use nets to catch creatures that swim in the water, fly through the air and crawl on the ground. Enjoy hands-on fun through crafts, games and other activities. Help take care of caterpillars. Sign up for Reptiles and Amphibians Camp for four days of fun.

Discover the animals that swim, walk and slither in the park. Meet reptile and amphibian ambassadors and learn about them through games, play, art and hikes. Search for food to feed them and learn fascinating facts about their life cycles. Sign up for Go Buggy camp for four days of fun.

Drop off your preschooler to experience nature in the spring through outdoor adventures, discovery hikes and hands-on nature activities. Each week focuses on a new nature topic. This program is mostly outdoors. $187/11 sessions.