(8-Adult) Come and have some honeyed treats as you learn about these busy pollinators in the park. Observe our beehive and learn how you can care for native bees in your back yard. Make a bee inspired craft to take home.

(5-Adult) Parents and children sip tea, enjoy butterfly-shaped sandwiches and join the crazy fun of Alice in Wonderland's Mad Hatter and his friends at the strangest of tea parties. Meet a live creature from the story. Children must be accompanied by an adult registered in the program.

(7-Adult) Assist park naturalists with a calling amphibian survey. Learn how to identify frogs and toads by their calls as we explore pools and ponds. Children must be accompanied by a registered 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.

(Adults) Do you know your sweet gum from your hickory? Celebrate Arbor Day by learning tree identification basics and go for a hike to practice new skills.

(10-Adult) Enjoy a naturalist-led hike and identify plants that are safe to eat and which ones to avoid. Other helpful plants are identified for uses such as rope making and folk remedies with connections to Eastern Woodland Indians. Wear sturdy shoes for walking, meets at the pond.

(7-Adult) Walk the meadows and forest edges to see bats feeding on insects. Use a bat detector to hear echolocation. Learn about our native bats and their habits. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(5-Adult) Enjoy a hike in search of native wildflowers. Riverbend is home to trout lilies, Dutchman's breeches, early buttercup, spicebush and see spring ephemerals such as of course, our fabulous stand of Virginia bluebells. Bring field guides and hiking shoes.

(Adults) Meet at Visitor Center. Learn to identify Riverbend's beautiful spring ephemerals, and discover the folklore that has grown up around them, as we walk along the banks of the Potomac River. Canceled if rain.

(12-Adult) What's new in the night sky? Join park naturalists as they take you on a tour of constellations, comets and other current events happening in the heavens above. Canceled in case of rain or other severe weather.

(3-Adult) Bats help eat mosquitoes, and pollinate plants, but they are having a hard time. Help these important animals thrive by building a bat house to hang in your yard. Everyone must register, $15 fee per bathouse paid to instructor on the day of the program.

(3-Adult) Have fun learning about local pollinators and using some invasive plants to build homes for native pollinators. The bees this house attracts are mason bees, pollinators and solitary bees that rarely sting.

(3-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.

(4-Adult) Enjoy a night hike to learn about nocturnal hunters. Listen to taped calls of owls and coyotes and 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 identifies the stars for you and will have some telescopes for you to use. The program concludes with a campfire. S'mores ingredients provided; hot dogs welcome. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

Come one come all to Hidden Pond Nature Center and sample activities from several of our new summer camps. Explore each camp through interactive activities, themes, and adventures at no cost to you.

(5-Adult) Virginia is a worldwide destination for salamander fans. Celebrate this special day with a salamander search both on land and in the stream. Learn how salamanders compare with their amphibian cousins. Children age 9 and younger must be accompanied by an adult registered in this program.

(8-Adult) Assist a naturalist with a reptile survey. We search for, capture, identify and release snakes. Learn habits and preferred habitats of our native snakes. Children must be accompanied by an adult registered in the program.

(4-Adult) Satisfy your curiosity and your sweet tooth with one howling campfire. Listen to coyote calls, take a short hike, and make s'mores as you learn about this wily canine. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(2-6 yrs.) Walk with a naturalist and your child as we investigate the critters who make this park their home. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

(2-Adult) Come out for a night of fun. We will have a campfire with s’mores while we read and enjoy books by Dr. Seuss. Families of all ages welcome.

Hike into the wilder regions of the park to explore rarely visited wetlands, climb up forested ridges that indicate some geology changes in the terrain and look for wildlife in the park’s “outback”. Each expedition date will have a different theme but, as always with Hidden Pond programs-we will interpret what we see along the way. Please note, due to the rough off trail nature, strollers will not be allowed.

(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.

(4-13 yrs.) Join a naturalist and youth volunteers as we demonstrate how we feed our site display animals. Make a birdfeeder to take home and use. Search for worms and insects and assist in serving dinner. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

(Adult) Escape the rapid pace of daily routine and relax into the tranquility of nature. On your Forest Immersion Experience, a certified guide will offer a series of guided “invitations” to assist you in finding your own authentic way of experiencing the natural areas of Huntley Meadows Park. There is a growing body of scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of Forest Immersion cultivating mental, physical and emotional well-being. Following your mindful guided walk there will be a closing tea ceremony with some healthy snacks.

(4-Adult) Bring your best frog voice as you learn about our native frogs while enjoying refreshments at a campfire. Hop along with a naturalist to our vernal pools and streams to sing with the chorus

(4-Adult) Get down and dirty with a naturalist and see how another kingdom lives! Investigate how one of our most common decomposers survives and thrives in our own woods.

Walk with the Resource Manager, as you are given insights on how this 650 acre county park of forests, meadows and streams is kept healthy and thriving. Learn about native plants and invasive species that makeup the park's wildlife habitat. Walk is seasonally based. 

(6-12 yrs.) This program for school children focuses on the natural and historical world. A different topic and hands-on activities are covered each day.

(8-15 yrs.) Dive into watershed education at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. Receive hands on lessons about aspects of watershed education in a variety of water environments. Topics to include macroinvertebrate searches and identification, watershed ecology, life cycles, food chains, stream monitoring techniques, pollution problems and watershed protection. All lessons are structured around the Virginia Standards of Learning.

(7-12 yrs) Join a Park Naturalist to identify hazardous and harmless plants and animals that become active in the spring season. Expand your knowledge to identify edible and medicinal plants. Learn how to create a portable camp stove, make a fire, build a shelter and utilize the power of teamwork when faced with a challenge. Any supply fee payable to instructor at class.

(4-Adult) Meets at Cabell's Mill. Enjoy a turkey hot dog supper roasted over the campfire and a brisk wagon ride through the Rocky Run stream valley. Discover who Ellanor C. Lawrence was and learn about the areas local and natural history. We provide hot dogs, buns, condiments, and s'mores. Feel free to bring your own drinks and sides. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.

(3-6 yrs.) Preschool children accompanied by an adult learn about spring and make a craft. March–Birds, April–Wildflowers, May–Snakes.

(12-Adult) Join naturalist Clara Ailes for a leisurely walk along Accotink Creek in search of bluebells, dwarf ginseng, showy orchids and other spring wildflowers. Meet in the close end of the first large parking lot on the left, off of Lake Accotink Access Road, which is off of Highland Avenue. Call Hidden Pond Nature Center 703-451-9588 for info. Children younger than 12 may attend for free with a registered adult.

(3-Adult) Join us for a night of campfire, s'mores and more. A different topic and a different area of the park will be explored each night.

(2-4 yrs.) Preschoolers and their accompanying adult begin sharing nature's wonders in this interactive class. Experiences include finger plays, stories, activities and, weather permitting, an outdoor exploration. Dress for the weather. Topics: 3/2 Twinkle Little Star, 3/9 Wily Woodpeckers, 3/16 Green is Great, 3/23 Tales of Tails, 3/30 Amphibians, 4/27 Spring Flowers, 5/4 Creeping Crabs, 5/11 Tricky Animals, 5/18 Turtles are Terrific.