Water life is fascinating if you look closely! We'll review the value and scarcity of clean water by collecting and observing macroinvertebrates from a pond. We will use a dichotomous key to identify critters and complete a biological index to determine water quality. $8/person.

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.

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.

Un paseo en la oscuridad es más asombroso cuando las luciérnagas iluminan la noche. En grupo, camina con un educador profesional al aire libre para ver luciérnagas en el sendero del bosque. El grupo comenzará con una breve presentación en el interior antes de salir al sendero. Se proporcionan todos los materiales para la captura y liberación de las luciérnagas capturadas durante el programa. Este programa se desarrollará en español.

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

Las libélulas son insectos que se mueven rápidamente y vuelan sobre la hierba. Aprende qué hace que estos animales sean tan fascinantes y por qué son importantes para el ecosistema antes de salir a intentar atraparlas tú mismo. Un educador profesional te mostrará dónde encontrarlas, cómo capturarlas e incluso cómo sostener una en tu mano. ¡Prepárate para correr, estos insectos son veloces! Este programa se desarrollará en español.

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.

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.

Stop by to visit with monarchs; there might be eggs, caterpillars, a chrysalis, or adult butterflies to see. Learn about the fascinating life cycle of the monarch butterfly and how it migrates to Mexico for the winter. 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 and allow 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.

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.

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.

Minnesota es uno de los lugares donde la migración de la mariposa Monarca empieza. Aprende sobre el increíble viaje que estos pequeños animales realizarán a través de los Estados Unidos y los desafíos que enfrentan. Sal a la pradera llena de flores con un educador profesional al aire libre para encontrar mariposas y aprender cómo atraparlas de manera segura con una red. Este programa se desarrollará en español. $6/persona.

The monarchs are getting ready for their migration south, help the naturalists catch them in a net and tag them. Learn about how the tags help scientist study the butterflies, why monarchs migrate and other fascinating parts of their life cycle. $6/person.

Celebrate the Big Year of Rivers with a creek adventure. Join us for a parent-child event with a local author of the children's book "Me and You in the Big Green Canoe." Design your own mini canoe paddle and sit in a canoe for a photo opp. Listen to the story as it's read and acted out by the author. Hike to the creek to make a nature boat and watch it float down the creek. Ages 4-8 with an adult only, no younger siblings. $6/person.

Learn about the frogs and toads that live in our area through hands-on activities. Make an art project, do the frog jump, and meet a toad. Hike to the forest to search for toads and dig for worms in the dirt. Bring a picnic blanket to sit on. This is not a drop-off program; both the adult and child must register and pay. $6/person.

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