(5-Adult) Meet small creatures with giant engineering secrets, like live invertebrates including millipedes, beetles and other arthropods. The program uses microscopy and hands - on investigation to explore insect engineering. Participants discover how insects build structures, communicate chemically and solve engineering problems at microscopic scales. Perfect for introducing young children to entomology and structural engineering principles.
Ages 3 to 5 years. Preschool programs are offered throughout the year at both Gulf Branch and Long Branch Nature Centers. The theme for preschool programs is repeated during the month, so please register for only one session at each nature center per month. Caretakers must stay with their child during the program.
Ages 18 to 35 months with adult. Tiny Tot programs provide opportunities to interact one-on-one with your child while discovering the wonders of nature. Each program will engage your child with hands-on learning and may include a variety of activities like songs, games, crafts, and mini-hikes. Tiny Tot programs are off…
Enjoy family-friendly movies underneath the stars at a different one of our beautiful parks each month! Be sure to bring your own chairs, blankets, and favorite movie snacks!
For families with Preschoolers Join us for open play featuring a mix of games and activites that explore the STEAM- based concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, or Math! No registration required. Attendance is first-come, first-served until event capacity is reached. Please call 703-228-3352 or email Lib-Co…
(2-7 yrs.) Join a naturalist to discover the various wildlife that can be found in the lake. Search for tadpoles, insects, and frogs to catch and release, while also learning about what makes each creature special. Bring old shoes that can get wet and muddy.
Join us in the children's area for a storytime designed for families with children ages birth to five. No registration required.
Join us for songs, stories, rhymes, and activities for you and your baby ages birth to 17 months. Build an early literacy foundation while enjoying time together in the library. No registration required.
(8-Adult) Participants in this introductory session will practice John Muir Law's "I notice, I wonder, it reminds me of" nature journaling strategy to hone their observational skills and then learn different approaches to recording their observations on the page using images, words, and numbers. The objective is to con…
(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…
(14-Adult) Watch for deer foraging on the islands, and osprey and bald eagles searching for fish as we paddle through this wildlife-rich section of the Potomac River. This is not a whitewater tour. No previous experience required. Kayaks provided, one person per kayak. Download waiver and bring completed to tour: https…
(4-Adult) Learn the science and art of building a fire and then test your skill with primitive fire bows and modern fire-making techniques. Use your new skills to roast some s'mores at the end. Children must be accompanied by a registered adult.
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(5-Adult) Enjoy the beauty of the lakefront at sunset while learning the basics of fishing with a naturalist. Many fish like to come up to eat when the water cools after a hot day, making it a great time to fish with family members and enjoy each other’s company. Rod and bait will be provided. Participants 16 and older…
