(10-Adult) Enjoy a naturalist-led hike and identify plants that are safe to eat and which ones to avoid. Participants will learn how plants were used in rope making and folk remedies with connections to Eastern Woodland Indians. Foraging in Fairfax County Parks is prohibited.

(6-Adult) Celebrate National Cocoa Day by learning the history of chocolate in Virginia while drinking delicious hot cocoa. Then create some winter craft ornaments to take home.

(6-12 yrs.) In this Athena camp, learn coding basics with Scratch, then advance into Python. Projects include animations, games, and final showcases.

(10-Adult) Taste different colonial teas at the historic Cabell's Mill and learn about the role tea played in the colonies. The program will include a tour of the Mill and the grounds weather permitting.

(5-12 yrs.) This exploratory camp will build your young artist’s self-esteem as they gain new skills, make new friends, and create adorable, colorful masterpieces with KidCreate. No camp January 1.

(6-12 yrs.) Create an interactive narrative that expands beyond screen and the page with STEM exCEL. Learn the fundamentals of game design, programming, art and design basics, all while crafting an engaging comic book story that students will be able to create and play. Campers leave with a digital copy of their work. No camp December 24 and 25.

(5-8 yrs.) Join The Science Seed to learn the difference in using baking soda or baking powder when making cookies, experiment with acids and bases, bake cookies. Free play, playground time and story time fill out this fun camp day.

(16-Adult) Join us for an instructional workshop on the origins and science behind cultured food and fermentation. We will learn how to make kombucha and kimchi and taste homemade yogurt and cashew cheese. We will also review a brief history of fermentation, how fermentation happens and why it is an important homesteading skill to have today both for your personal health and the environment.

(5-9 yrs.) This patch will help you understand the importance of dark skies and how you can protect this resource. You will learn about light pollution, see the effect of light pollution yourself, learn how you can make changes to reduce light pollution, and share what you have learned with others. This program was made possible by support from the Fairfax County Park Foundation. Patch included.

This program satisfies most of the requirements to earn the badge. Scouts must complete all prework before the start of class. Pre-work and program details available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/scouts. Scouts unable to complete all requirements may receive partial credit from their merit badge counselor.

(5-8 yrs.) Campers will learn about pizza and where all the ingredients come from with The Science Seed. They will experiment with yeast and make their own dough and pizzas. Free play, playground time, story time, and more fills out the day.

(4-13 yrs.) Join a naturalist as they demonstrate how to feed our site display animals. Activities include making a birdfeeder to take home and searching for worms and insects to assist in serving dinner. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

(10-Adult) Step into the quiet beauty of the forest and discover the trees that shape our local landscape. Join a naturalist-led hike as we search for and identify native tree species, learning how they survive and support the ecosystem around them. Explore the ways these trees provide food, shelter and seasonal beauty, and gain a deeper appreciation for their role in our community and get a taste of some local tree inspired flavor.

(6-Adult) Delve into the history of the American Chestnut and learn about efforts to revitalize what was once an iconic North American tree. Enjoy a fire while cooking and sampling chestnuts from an American Chestnut relative. Program is held at the Woodland Stewardship Education Center. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.

(4-Adult) Amazing reptiles call our park home. Play games, test your courage with a touch table and meet these wonderful creatures up close. Calm your nerves by roasting s'mores at a campfire while listening to stories and then take a stroll through the darkening autumn woods.

(2-5 yrs.) Introduce your little ones to the wonders of nature with hands-on activities that teach environmental stewardship and sustainability. Your little earth keepers will learn how their actions can help protect our planet. Adults must participate with children. 

This program satisfies most of the requirements to earn the badge. Scouts must complete all prework before the start of class. Pre-work and program details available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/scouts. Scouts unable to complete all requirements may receive partial credit from their merit badge counselor.

(3-6 yrs.) Explore the parks through books. Hear a story, enjoy nature activities, take a short hike, and finish with a craft. Topics will change seasonally. A parent must accompany each registered child in the program.

(1-3 yrs.) Bring your toddler to explore nature through sight, sound, smell and touch. Programs include indoor and outdoor activities. Adult must be able to participate with children. A different amazing topic every month

(5-12 yrs.) Send your young artist to Kidcreate to make all they will need for a fabulous New Year’s Eve celebration. We will create noisemakers, party poppers, and hats to ring in the New Year. No camp January 1.

(5-12 yrs.) During this Kidcreate camp, kids will be guided painting a snowy day scene.

(6-12 yrs.) Campers learn Spanish basics through games, crafts, songs, and cultural activities. This Athena camp helps build language and cultural appreciation.

(5-12 yrs.) Join KidCreate for a hands-on, creative adventure where little artists can bring their Squishmallow dreams to life while exploring their imagination and artistic skills.

(4-Adult) Freshwater ecosystems are full of fascinating creatures. Search for stoneflies, hellgrammites, water pennies and crayfish. Explore the park's streams with a naturalist, use dip nets and kick nets to catch and release these creatures.

This program satisfies most of the requirements to earn the badge. Scouts must complete all prework before the start of class. Pre-work and program details available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/scouts. Scouts unable to complete all requirements may receive partial credit from their merit badge counselor.

(7-Adult) Turkeys are native to the Americas and have been everything from decorative to Thanksgiving centerpiece. They’ve been here for 10 million years but how can you make sure they have a place here for a million more? Find out more about the role of turkeys in different cultures and how important habitat restoration will make room for turkeys. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.

(12-Adult) Travel back in time to the triassic period during this season's Lawrence Lecture to learn about the animals, geology, and change to the land we now know as Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. Participants will receive a lecture and examine rock types.

(6-12 yrs.) Get outside and explore the wild side of plants and animals through nature hikes and reflective art projects that involve printmaking, painting, sculpting and drawing along with written art forms like storytelling and comic making. Build a nature journal to take home with you and engage in fun experiments and games. Dress for the weather- program will have outside activities. No camp December 24 and 25.

(6-Adult) Explore Big Rocky Run with a naturalist to meet some of the small creek critters (macroinvertebrates) that call it home. Learn why so many different types of macroinvertebrates are active in winter streams. The naturalist will demonstrate winter collecting and participants can help pick, sort and learn to identify these magnificent critters.

(6-Adult) Take a closer look at natural items from the park using magnifying glasses and digital microscopes.