Our nature center has several Minnesota animals who live on site and teach us about nature. Come meet a few, learn their favorite meals and see them up close. This is an ongoing program. Free. Drop-ins welcome.

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.

Many animals have babies in the spring season. What advantages and disadvantages are there for different animals? We will talk about which animals give birth in the spring, touch furs and other animal artifacts, hike a trail looking for homes and play a game of survival in the woods.

Step down from the bank and into the water of rambling Rush Creek. Investigate sandbars, forest birds, puddle creatures and oxbow formations. Splash, climb, bend and leap as you explore the shallow water channel and its connection to the big river. Naturalists will lead this unique hiking experience with an eye toward water quality and wildlife. $6/person.

Birds are migrating from their winter home to their summer home. Join us on a hike as we use binoculars and our ears to identify the birds we only see once or twice a year. Bird friendly coffee will be provided!

A wellness offering for teachers, administrators and community care professionals looking for respite in a challenging time. Each session will include a short walk to immerse in nature and a wellness practice such as a meditation trail, solo sit, qigong practice, etc. Each session is a standalone offering, but participants can join as many sessions as they like. Scheduled for the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays throughout the summer. Alternating morning and evening. Come rain or shine. Drop-ins are welcome. Free

Celebrate dragonflies and their life cycles. Visit the dragonfly tent, catch adults and nymphs, test water quality at the pond using invertebrates and learn how your actions affect their health. Take a photo with a giant dragonfly on a green screen. Explore with microscopes and see dragonfly nymphs up close. Talk to the Minnesota Dragonfly Society about what they do around the state. Drop in anytime. Free.

Celebrate National Moth week. Meet live caterpillars, learn what makes them unique and leave with a new appreciation of North America's biggest moth.Drop in anytime. Free.

Stop by and visit with one of our interpretive naturalists who can identify animals and plants, make personalized trail suggestions, offer wellness practices, recommend programs for your interests, suggest outdoor recreation resources and more! Drop in anytime.

Journey through the water cycle in a unique hands on game. Turn yourself into a water droplet and become part of the adventure as you collect beads that tell your personal water droplet story. Drop in anytime. All ages welcome. Free.

Join us in our front yard as our turtle ambassadors get some sunshine. Learn what makes Blanding's and painted turtles special, and discover where they live and what they eat. All ages welcome. Free.

Explore one of summertime's coolest habitats, the pond! Meet a naturalist at the dock to scoop with a net, identify aquatic invertebrates and plants, and get a closer look with a magnifier. All ages welcome. Free.

Join us for a quiet, creative activity at the pond or along the creek. Make your own watercolor painting to take home. All ages welcome. Free.

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.

Come experience Eastman Nature Center in the dark! This version of our firefly hike is adapted for people who need physical accommodations. Listen to a presentation inside about how and why fireflies glow. Then load up in your vehicle and drive up to our upper parking lot which has a handicap accessible entrance to the paved trail. Move along the paved trail or take a seat on a bench and watch the fireflies glow in the prairie. Special flashlights provided, if needed. Reservations required. Program geared for ages 5+. Please call 763-694-7700 for more information on all the accommodations this program can offer. $6/person.

Take a stroll through the woods and fields and search for tiny creatures that live in secret places. Scatter seeds that will grow into new flowers in the prairie. Listen to the story "Fairy Houses" by Tracy Kane and create a fairy house to take home. $6/person.

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.

Meet a naturalist at 10 a.m. to help collect insects for our frog ambassadors. Bring back what we catch and watch the frogs enjoy a healthy meal. Free.

Come experience Eastman Nature Center in the dark! Linger at a few firefly stations, look at preserved fireflies, and learn how and why they glow. Take a hike in our forest as the night begins to darken and finish the evening at the prairie to safely catch and release fireflies. The hiking trail is uneven with occasional exposed roots. Special flashlights provided, if needed. Nets will be provided. Reservations required. Program geared for ages 5+. $6/person.

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.

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.

Explore the trails with your baby in a carrier or all-terrain stroller. We will hike at a slow to moderate pace. The babies/toddlers to engage in safe, sensory experiences along the way. Drop-ins welcome. Ages 0-3 plus adult. Free.

The weather is getting warmer and snakes are out sunning themselves. What should you do if you see a snake? Are they safe to be around? This presentation on snakes in your neighborhood will answer these questions and more. Afterwards, head out on a hike to look for where you are likely to see snakes around the nature center and meet one of our education ambassador snakes. $6/person.

The weather is getting warmer, and on sunny days snakes are out sunning themselves. Learn about the snakes that could be in your neighborhood. What should you do if you see a snake? Are they safe to be around? This presentation on snakes in your neighborhood will answer these questions and more. All ages welcome. Free.

Learn about spiders during an inside presentation, we will cover what time of year we see spiders the most, where to find their webs and different types found here in Minnesota. After the presentation, head out to the prairie to do insect sweeping and catch some spiders. $6/person.

Listen to a 30-minute presentation about the different types of ticks you in Minnesota and where they can be found. Learn how to enjoy the outdoors while protecting yourself. Head out to the prairie with a naturalist to do a peaceful activity in the long grass, concluding with everyone performing a tick check to practice the skill.

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.

Learn about the dragonflies that live in our area through hands-on activities. Explore their life cycle and special adaptations, and hike to the prairie to try catching them with a net. Bring a picnic blanket to sit on. $6/person

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

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.

Listen to a 30-minute presentation about the different types of ticks in Minnesota and where they can be found. Learn how to enjoy the outdoors while protecting yourself.