Kids' Programs at the Wehr Nature Center
Your children will enjoy a variety of activities that lead to discoveries in nature. Because group sizes are limited, you and your child will spend "quality time" as you explore these guided topics together. Please, no non-participating siblings!
To maintain the high quality of the children's programs, we require you to pre-register for all programs.
- Age 2–3 Little Wonders
- Age 4–6 NatureNauts
- Age 7-12 Nature Wizards - A monthly program for homeschoolers and their parents
- Field Trips for school groups and homeschool associations
- Adventure Summer: Nature Day Camps
Age 3-13
A variety of camps are available, from half-day programs for you and your 3 year-old, to survival programs for your 12 year old. To register or for more information, call Nature in the Parks at (414) 425-8550 or visit Nature in the Parks. With this link you will leave the Milwaukee County Parks site. The NIP site will appear in a new browser window. To return to this page, simply close the NIP window.
A quarterly newsletter detailing all the events and programs at Wehr is available.
Little Wonders for Twos/Little Wonders for Threes
Must be accompanied by an adult.
Age 2 or Age 3
Give your young children the opportunity to explore a "wild place." Each session includes outside exploring time, songs, stories, and crafts—all relating to a simple, nature subject. You will share in your child's joy of discovery and can use the experience as a springboard for other explorations on your own.
2013 Little Wonders Programs - Subject to change
Mondays: 9:30-10:30 for 2-year-olds and 11 a.m.-noon for 3-year olds
| Date |
Program |
|
Date |
Program |
Jan. 7 or 21
|
Snowballs & Mittens
We'll read A Snowy Day by Ezra Keats and Snowballs by Lois Ehlert. Outdoor time, craft, and a snack! |
|
July 8
|
Froggy Fun
Hop, leap, and jump over to Wehr. We'll learn frog talk, hop like frogs, read a frog story, and meet some live amphibians. Tots will make their own frog craft to take home.
|
Feb. 4 or 18
|
Nighttime Wonders
Learn about creatures of the night. After reading Wake-up Kisses by Pamela Edwards and Henry Cole, we will turn off the lights and pretend to explore the nighttime world. Bring your flashlight!
|
|
Aug. 5
|
Water is Wonderful
Come for a morning of outdoor water-play fun (weather permitting). We'll discover the joys of scooping, pouring, splashing and measuring water. We'll read a story about water, make a sparkly wave bottle, and eat a watery snack. Please wear a bathing suit and bring a towel and change of clothes.
|
March 4 or 18
|
Slithery Snakes
Slither over to the Nature Center for some scaly fun! Tots will meet Wehr's resident snakes, listen to a story, and make a craft snake. We'll even make our own edible "snake" snack. |
|
Sept. 9
|
Cricket Song
Crickets are cool! We'll listen to The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle, meet some live crickets and other insects, and go for a cricket hunt along Wehr’s trails. We'll even make and eat a “buggy” snack.
|
April 8 or 29
|
Wild Goose Chase
Go on a wild goose chase along the shores of Mallard Lake, meet an adventurous gosling in the story Rebel by John Schoenherr, paint with a goose feather, and enjoy a snack of goose food.
|
|
Oct. 7
|
Falling Leaves
Celebrate the beauty of autumn as we learn about trees. We'll read Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall and learn about colorful leaves. Tots will go for a leaf collecting walk, create leaf art, and enjoy an autumn snack.
|
May 6
|
Seeds & Sprouts
Bring your little sprout to celebrate seeds and flowers. Children will help us plant our Play Space garden, pot a flower to take home, go on a spring wildflower walk, and enjoy a “seedy” snack.
|
|
Nov. 4 or 18
|
Turkey Trot
Tots will do the turkey trot as they learn about the lives of wild turkeys. We'll read I’m a Turkey by Jim Arnosky. We'll walk, talk and eat like wild turkeys too! Tots will make a turkey craft to take home for Thanksgiving.
|
June 3
|
Animal Babies
Join the birthday party for baby animals born in spring. We’ll read If You Were Born a Kitten by Marion Bauer, put on party hats, eat birthday cupcakes, and go for a walk to look for spring babies at Wehr.
|
|
Dec. 9
|
Bear Hunt
Grab your teddy bear and join us for a bear hunt. We'll learn the ways wild bears get ready for winter and then take our teddies on an adventure. A snack fit for a bear awaits tots at the end of their journey. Please make sure to bring your child’s favorite teddy bear to the program (bears only, please!).
|
Registration Deadline: one week prior to program. Call to register: (414) 425-8550
Little Wonders 2013 Fees (non-refundable)
|
| Child, Non-Milwaukee County Resident |
$10 |
| Child, Milwaukee County Resident |
$7 |
| Child, Friend of Wehr |
$5 |
For more information, contact the Wehr Nature Center.
NatureNauts
Ages 4–6
Must be accompanied by an adult.
You and your preschooler will join others as a naturalist guides you through special topics, crafts and outdoor activities.
2013 NatureNauts Programs - Subject to change
Sunday afternoons or Monday mornings
| Date |
Program |
|
Date |
Program |
Sun., Jan. 13
1–2 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 14
9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Tracks & Scat
Discover how tracks, droppings, homes, and feeding signs are all clues from our wild neighbors. Outdoor hike (weather permitting) and take-home craft.
|
|
Sun., July 14, 1–2 p.m.
Mon., July 15, 9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Butterflies |
Sun., Feb. 10
1–2 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 11
9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Oh, Deer!
All little fawns are invited to join us for this "endeering" program. Learn about our beautiful but sometimes pesky wild neighbors. Come prepared for a short walk outside as we look for signs of white-tailed wonders. |
|
Sun., August 25, 1–2 p.m.
Mon., August 26, 9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Beetlemania |
Sun., March 10
1–2 p.m.
Mon., March 11
9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Birds at My Feeder
Junco, Chickadee, Cardinal, oh, my! Fly over to Wehr to learn about the birds that visit your feeder and how to keep them happy. You'll go for a short hike outside, and will make a pinecone bird feeder to take home. |
|
Sun., Sept. 22, 1–2 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 23, 9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Terrific Turtles
|
Sun., April 14
1–2 p.m.
Mon., April 15
9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Frog Songs
Spring time is frog time! Discover what makes our Froggy Friends so special. Meet a live toad and frog up-close and personal. |
|
Sun., Oct. 27, 1–2 p.m.
Mon., Oct. 28, 9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Nocturnal NatureNauts
|
Sun., May 19
1–2 p.m.
Mon., May 20
9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Busy Beavers
NatureNauts will be busy as beavers as they discover the secrets of these little engineers. Join us as we sing the beaver song and see a tree that was chewed by a beaver. |
|
Sun., Nov. 10, 1–2 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 11, 9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Turkey Tales
|
Sun., June 23
1–2 p.m.
Mon., June 24
9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Flickering Fireflies
Discover the secrets of fireflies and how they light up our summer nights. All NatureNauts will make and take home
a craft firefly that lights up! |
|
Sun., Dec. 15, 1–2 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 16, 9:30–10:30 a.m. |
Cawing Crows
|
Registration Deadline: one week prior to program. Call to register: (414) 425-8550
| Nature Nauts 2013 Fees (non-refundable) |
| Child, Non-Milwaukee County Resident |
$10 |
| Child, Milwaukee County Resident |
$7 |
| Child, Friend of Wehr |
$5 |
For more information, contact the Wehr Nature Center.
Nature Wizards
Ages 7–12 (no unregistered younger siblings, please)
Must be accompanied by an adult.
You and your homeschoolers will join Wehr’s professional naturalists for an afternoon of hands-on, minds-on learning. Each month, we'll explore a new nature topic, and we'll venture out to make discoveries in our big outdoor home. All programs support state Dept. of Public Instruction guidelines.
2013 Nature Wizards Programs - Subject to change
Various dates and times below
| Date |
Program |
Mon., Jan. 21
1–3 p.m. |
Winter Wizards - Learn how animals and plants survive the cold and snow, explore the anatomy of snowflakes, discover meteorological mysteries (such as the "wind chill factor"), and hike in the snow.
|
Mon., Feb. 11
1–3 p.m. |
Birds of a Feather - Discover bird adaptations, get an introduction to bird watching, and create some winter treats for the birds in your backyard.
|
| Mon., March 11 1–3 p.m. |
Maple Magic - Enjoy the sweet taste of spring! Learn about the process of making maple syrup using Native American and pioneer methods, from tapping trees to boiling down sap. Hike the sugarbush to meet the maples.
|
Registration Deadline: one week prior to program. Call to register: (414) 425-8550
| Nature Wizards 2013 Fees (non-refundable) |
| Child, Non-Milwaukee County Resident |
$10 |
| Child, Milwaukee County Resident |
$7 |
| Child, Friend of Wehr |
$5 |
Homeschool Associations: You may be interested in additional field-trip opportunities