Nature Striders is the Environmental Learning Center’s pre-school program for children aged 2 to 5 years and their parent/guardian. This program will give you and your little one a chance to explore nature together, through activities like story time, crafts and walks in the forest/wetland habitat. Each session includes both indoor and outdoor activities, so be sure to dress for the weather!

We will provide a healthy snack for the children. Please bring your own snack if there are dietary concerns.

** Please note that Nature Striders is a program for preschoolers and their parent/guardian. It is designed for children and adults to discover and learn about nature together.

Upcoming Programs

Programs are offered on the third Wednesday of the month.

Time: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

To sign up, select "Get tickets," then select the program or programs for which you would like to attend.

F all 2023

September 20, 2023: Spiders

Discover the diversity of fascinating spiders and their intricate webs.

October 18, 2023: Trees are Terrific!

Meet and learn about the superheroes of the forest: trees!

November 15, 2023: Raccoon, Masked Bandit

Learn about the fascinating life of the raccoon, a frequent night-time visitor at the ELC.

December 20, 2023: Winter’s Welcome

Explore how plants and animals prepare for winter.

W inter 2024

January 17, 2024: Tracks: Clues that Tell a Story

Solve track mysteries and learn to "read" the tracks left behind by our wildlife neighbors.

February 21, 2024: T-Rex at the ELC?

Observe and discover the modern-day dinosaurs living all around us: birds!

March 20, 2024: Whoo-oo Is It?

Learn about owls and their special features that make them silent hunters of the night.

S pring 2024

April 17, 2024: Frogs Hop to It!

Explore the wetland for different kinds of frogs that live in our area.

May 15, 2024: Mamma Built a Little Nest

Explore and discover the variety of birds' nests in and around our wetland.

June 19, 2024: The Salamander Room

Learn about our amphibian friends, the salamanders, explore our wetland area for salamanders, and create our own salamander "rooms."

Summer 2024

For Nature Striders programs in July and August, please click here for more information and to register.

Cost

$10 per child for each program. Parent/guardians and children under 2 are free with registration.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Refund amounts vary based on when you notify us of your cancellation.

• 2 weeks prior to the program: 90% refund
• Up to the day before the program: 50% refund
• Day of the program: no refunds available

Please contact sarah.bidwell@clackamas.edu if the cancellation is due to being COVID positive. In this case, we will happily refund you in full.

Questions?

Contact Sarah Bidwell, Kids' Education Coordinator, at sarah.bidwell@clackamas.edu

If a program is full and you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email Sarah Bidwell with the program title and child's name. We will notify you if a space becomes available.