(3-8 yrs.) Learn about animal adaptations while you munch on cookies and lemonade. Enjoy a story, craft and trail activity along a short hike. Child must be accompanied by an adult.

(3-Adult) It's dinner time at the nature center and worms and insects are on the menu. Help our naturalist care for and feed the nature center's animals.

(3-6 yrs.) Discover if frogs really say "ribbit" and birds call "tweet". Learn the real sounds of local species and see how good you are at recognizing animal calls. Child must be accompanied by an adult.

(2-5 yrs.) Dig down deep and investigate who lives in the dark, damp world under the forest floor as we learn about moles, earthworms, termites and the many other creatures of the soil. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

(10-Adult) Enjoy a naturalist-led hike and identify plants that are safe to eat and which ones to avoid. Learn the usefulness of plants for such rope making and folk remedies with connections to Eastern Woodland Indians. Meet at the pond.

(4-Adult) Join a naturalist for a night hike to search for bats with a sonar detector and learn about bat adaptations. End the night with a campfire, s'mores and the legend of how bats came to be. Children must be accompanied by an adult who is also registered in this program.

(6-Adult) Join a naturalist to discover the facts, fiction and folklore about nature’s only true flying mammal- bats. We will set the record straight about these incredible but often-misunderstood group of animals. The program will start with a presentation followed by a night walk where we will use a special acoustic device to listen for and identify bat calls not heard with the human ear.

(4-Adult) Join a naturalist for a night of learning about the beauty of our local bats. It's time to clear these flying mammals' good name and understand how helpful they are to humans. The program will involve not only talking about bats, but also looking and listening for nearby bats.

(4-Adult) Learn identification tips by sight and sound and how to make your yard more attractive to native species. Students can borrow binoculars form the class for a view of outdoor bird feeding stations. Registration required for children and adults.

(3-Adult) Explore the trails with a naturalist to learn about the different characteristics that can be used to identify birds. Keep an eye on your surroundings as you fill out a bingo sheet to better connect to our friends in the sky.

(3-12 yrs.) Walk alongside a naturalist and a group of youth birders as you learn new tricks to identify the birds around you. Develop new skills such as using binoculars, identifying birds with a field guide and writing down observations in your own birding journal. Journals will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own if they prefer.

(4-Adult) Walk with a naturalist to learn about how animal parents help keep their babies safe during the summer. Discover the various adaptations these babies have to keep them hidden from predators and other dangers in the wild. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(3-Adult) Hike with a naturalist to learn about different insects’ behavior and habitats. Explore the park to fill out bingo sheets to better appreciate the tiny workers around us.

(4-Adult) Learn about common pollinators and their importance in native gardens and woodlands. Pollinators are more than just a pretty face. Children under age ten must be accompanied by an adult who is also registered in this program.

(5-Adult) Join us for an evening campfire the whole family can enjoy. Explore the wonders of our natural world through nature walks, interactive activities and animal presentations. Includes s’mores. Topics vary by date. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(4-Adult) Enjoy a night hike to learn about nocturnal hunters. Listen to taped calls of owls and coyotes and possibly catch a glimpse of them in the forest. End the evening with s'mores round the campfire. Children must be accompanied by an adult registered in the program.

(3-Adult) Enjoy a stroll along the lake shores and learn about the constellations, their stories and other night-sky features. Our astronomical naturalist will identify the stars and will have some telescopes to use. The program concludes with a campfire. S'mores ingredients provided. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(4-Adult) Join us for an evening campfire the whole family can enjoy. During the program we will explore the wonders of our natural world. Our programs may include nature walks, interactive activities, animal presentations, or other opportunities to learn about nature and our place in it. Includes s’mores. Topics vary by date. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(2-Adult) Explore Rocky Run Stream Valley by wagon and by wading in to learn about the creatures that live in the stream.

(Adults) Learn about the life cycle, behavior and identification of Huntley's many dragonflies and damselflies. Venture to the wetland to observe these acrobatic fliers in action. Canceled if it rains.

(12-Adult) Being a paleontologist is a dream of many young children, but for some the interest lasts well into adulthood. Learn how teens and adults can participate in digs out west under the auspices of a natural history museum. Kevin Holland shares his experiences from three digs through discussion including a PowerPoint in this indoor presentation. Also learn about recent discoveries that radically change the way scientists view dinosaurs. 

(16-Adult) Learning about and drawing things in outer space is fun and educational. Learn some space definitions, then try out different oil pastel techniques on various papers. Learn how to combine oil pastel with colored pencils and gel pens for small details. Then draw your own galaxy, nebula or planet on black paper. All supplies included. 

(16-Adult) Seashells and other beach combing finds are fascinating! Learn about different critters that wash up on the beach. Acquire skills for drawing seashells and other sea creatures on various papers. Use colored pencil, watercolor, ink or gel pens to create your illustrations. Paper and other supplies will be available to use.

(5-Adult) Learn to make and use natural dyes to transform your white shirts into colorful masterpieces. Fairfax County prohibits foraging in county parks, so this class will focus on identifying plants that can be made into dye and teaching the steps of the dying process. Please bring your own white t-shirt or other white fabric to the class.

(8-12 yrs.) Join naturalists for a weekly exploration of our forest and stream ecosystems. We’ll investigate the natural world through hands-on activities and experiments. Topics will supplement learning towards the VA science SOLs for grades 4-6, while in our outdoors science “lab”. Bring your curiosity and get ready for some eco-adventure.

(4-Adult) Join us at the park to enjoy an evening of fireflies. Bring a plastic jar with a lid to catch and then release. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(5-Adult) Join us on a magical evening walk in the park to learn about and see the different colors and signal patterns of this fascinating insect.