(5-8 yrs.) Each Tuesday morning in this four-week nature series for homeschool, explore a new theme: winter birds, animal tracks, tree ID and pond life under ice. Hands-on activities, outdoor exploration and take-home naturalist journals. Registration covers all four sessions (Jan 12, 19, 26, and Feb 2).

(9-13 yrs.) In this four-week series for homeschool kids a field naturalist will explore a different topic each week including watershed science, wildlife tracking, forest ecology and citizen science. Students will receive field notebooks for real data collection and outdoor investigation. Registration cover materials and all four sessions (Jan 13, 20, 27 and Feb 3).

(4-Adult) Barred owls inhabit our stream valley parks. Learn to identify these owls from other native owls while enjoying the campfire. Toast marshmallows over the embers. Canceled in case of inclement weather. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(4-Adult) Play traditional Eastern Woodland Indian games of skill and luck which were common during the period of first European contact. Enjoy oral storytelling and make a game to take home. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(5-Adult) Listen to the frogs singing at night and learn how to identify them based on their calls. Program includes a night hike to learn and identify different frog calls and see what other amphibians we can find hiding amongst the shadows.

(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.

(5-12 yrs.) Race like a fox, hibernate like a bear, hunt like an owl and store food like a squirrel in the Animal Olympics. Hands-on activity stations show kids how animals survive winter by testing their own senses and strengths against the wild. A perfect way to spend an out-of-school holiday.

(3-7 yrs.) Put on your pajamas and come to the nature center to hear bedtime stories, meet animals and wish goodnight to the center's live animals. Bring your favorite stuffed animal with you. One adult only per registered child.

(7-Adult) Challenge your superstitions on this upcoming Friday the 13th by learning more about animal-related superstitions and their impacts on wildlife. Meet live animals.

(Adults) Come get an exclusive look at our animals after hours at this adults-only event. Learn about our local species and their amazing habits and meet our animal ambassadors up close and personal.

(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.

(5-12 yrs.) Stretch your creativity as you create animal masterpieces out of natural materials gathered around the park. The only limit is your imagination.

(5-Adult) Hike through the fall foliage and identify trees. Find that perfect autumn leaf and make a craft keepsake.

(10-Adult) Learn to read bark texture, twig arrangement, leaf scars, buds and lingering berries to identify Lake Accotink's most common trees when the leaves are gone. A hands-on walk with pocket guides are provided. Perfect for aspiring naturalists and lifelong walkers.

(5-Adult) Celebrate international bat week at Riverbend Park. Learn about the fascinating lives of these flying mammals as you participate in an educational scavenger hunt through the woods. Conclude the evening with a naturally crafted bat decoration to take home.

(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.

(6-Adult) Use your eyes and ears to identify native birds as you embark on a guided walk with one of our naturalists. Both beginner birders and veterans welcome. Bring your own binoculars or use one of ours.  

(12-Adult) Hone your birding skills on the trail and learn to play our favorite bird themed board game: Wingspan. We will enjoy a round or more of this wonderful boardgame and take a bird walk in the park. All skill levels welcome.

(3-Adult) Beavers are some of the busiest animals in the natural world. In this family-friendly program, participants will learn how beavers build, eat and shape their habitats.

(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 an evening in the woods and learn about the constellations, their stories and other night-sky features. Our naturalist will identify the stars and will have some telescopes to use. The program concludes with a campfire. S'mores ingredients provided. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.

(4-Adult) Learn how the Powhatan Native Americans used the plants and animals you see every day for their medicine, grocery store and clothing. Immerse yourself in a way of life 400 years ago. Grind corn, make a clay pot, master corn darts and go on a guided tour to see the park from the perspective of a Virginia Indian.

(16-Adult) Late fall is a great time to look for nature’s bounty. Learn some tips to identify and draw these beautiful botanical items. Take a short hike to search for these items on the trail. Learn some techniques for drawing botanical subjects and see sample projects. Then try it yourself using our dried plant/seed collection. Your choice of watercolor or colored pencil. Dress for the weather.

(8-12 yrs.) Join naturalists for one or all of these weekly explorations 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”. Weekly themes include: 9/16-Delightful Decomposition, 9/23-Fall Foraging, 9/30-Ghastly Germs, and 10/7-Beautiful Bones. Bring your curiosity and get ready for some eco-adventure.

(3-Adult) November is National Gratitude Month. Learn why we appreciate trees, forests, streams and the wildlife they contain. Join us for a hike to enjoy the fall foliage and observe our waterways. Make a craft to take home to remember to be thankful for nature.

(10-Adult) Join us for a hike and learn how to draw a beautiful autumn scene.

(10-Adult) Turtlehead, jewelweed, seed box, cardinal flowers; come see our beautiful fall wetland flowers. Discover how they live and how to draw them.

(All Ages) Come stay and play at our Nature Center on select Fridays of every month. Spend time together as a family reading books, making crafts, playing games, exploring natural objects with a microscope, doing puzzles, digging in the sandbox and many more play opportunities. Enjoy a short presentation or read-aloud story by a naturalist every hour. Each month the space will transform into a different theme and activities will be refreshed so there will always be something new to discover. A staff member will be in the building if you have any questions or need assistance, but this event is designed as self-guided play time accompanied by a parent or guardian. You are not required to stay for the entire length of time. Once you receive a wristband you may come and go as you please.

(6-Adult) Discover the secret world of owls. Learn what makes these raptors excellent night predators with a presentation followed by a trail hike to hopefully hear or spot one of Huntley's resident owls. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.