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 KIDS PROGRAMS
Tiny Melodies Gone Wild
Most exciting for children birth to age 4, but all ages are welcome
with an adult chaperone.
Fridays, April 7, May 5, & June 2; 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Tiny Melodies: Gone Wild, is an interactive Family Music Making
Experience! Children AND their caregivers will join Meryl Brown,
Board Certified Music Therapist, in a variety of music-making
opportunities including, but not limited to, instrument play,
singing, movement and storytelling.
Fee applies with discounts for members
Registration and payment required one week prior to the program.
Homeschool: Four Weeks on the Forest Floor
Ages 9-16
Tuesdays, April 18-May 9
(4 sessions); 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Students will study the progression of wildflowers over a 4 week
period by surveying, drawing, and writing about them. We will
incorporate aspects of nature journaling, biology, math, and art in
this exciting, innovative class.
Fee applies with discounts for members
Registration and prepayment required by April 11.
Little Wonders
Ages 3-5 (with an adult chaperone)
Wednesdays, 10:00-11:30 a.m. or 1:00-2:30 p.m.
April 19: Forest Flowers
May 17: Fabulous Fungi
June 21: Rowdy Raccoons
Discover the wonders of nature in these hands-on, interactive
classes. A snack will accompany story time and a fun craft will be
created.
Fee applies with discounts for members
Registration and payment required by the Sunday before the program.
Boy Scout Bird Study Merit Badge
Saturday, April 29; 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
By participating in this program, scouts will complete all of the
objectives to earn their Bird Study Merit Badge! Participants will
learn the importance of bird study, how to identify birds by sight
and sound, use binoculars and field guides, and how to attract birds
to their yards. Dress appropriately for hiking and bring a lunch.
This event is cosponsored by The John Wesley Powell Audubon Society.
Fee applies with discounts for scout leaders
Registration and pre-payment required by April 20. No
non-scouts or siblings please.
Open to troops and individual scouts.
ALL AGES PROGRAMS
Sundays in the Sap House!
FREE Every Sunday in April from Noon – 4:00 p.m.
Enjoy Sundays exploring the nature of Funks Grove! Start your
adventure at the Sap House on the lawn near the Covered Bridge where
each week a new topic will be featured. Indoor displays and
activities will get you ready for your outdoor exploration. Check
out binoculars and field guides or grab an exploration pack full of
items to assist you on your adventure!
April 9: Letterboxing Adventure
Learn what letterboxing is and follow clues to 7 locations at Sugar
Grove to learn more about the site and the plants and animals that
call it home! Earn a prize for completing the challenge!
April 16: Rabbits & Ribbits
Learn about the Easter bunny’s native relative the Eastern
Cottontail Rabbit---pet a pelt, learn to identify tracks and scat,
and find out what you should do if you find young rabbits in your
yard. Then explore the world of frogs and toads! Imitate their calls
and find out where to spy them.
April 23: Garlic
Mustard Smackdown
What is an exotic, invasive species and why is managing for them
important? Learn all about our #1 nemesis, help us wrangle it, and
taste some garlic mustard salad.
April 30: Spring Woodland Wildflowers
The only time of year you’ll see these beauties is spring and they
won’t be around for long! Check out an ID card to take on your
flower foray!
Garlic Mustard Smackdown
Saturday, April 22; 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 23; 12:00-4:00 p.m.
The garlic mustard plant is exotic and invasive, making it an enemy
of our beloved bluebells and the other beautiful spring flowers of
the forest. It takes valuable resources and crowds out the native
plants that wildlife relies on and are unique to our area. You can
help! At the top of every hour, staff will be giving a briefing on
the target, then supplying you with the necessary equipment to
eradicate this nemesis (gloves and a garbage bag). Stay as long as
you want. Come with friends, family, or even an organization!
Free. No registration required. [to top of second
column] |
Birdhouse Building Workshop
Saturday, April 22, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Spring is here and House Wrens will be returning to the area soon! Plan ahead
and join us to build a bird house at this exciting workshop. The house will
attract House Wrens as well as Chickadees and Nuthatches while the entry hole is
small enough to exclude House Sparrows. All materials are hand cut and
pre-drilled by Nature Center volunteers who will also be on-hand to provide
assembly instruction and assistance.
Fee applies with discounts for members of Sugar Grove Nature Center or John
Wesley Powell Audubon Society.
Limit 2 kits per family.
Registration and pre-payment required by April 14.
ADULT PROGRAMS
Leave That Willow Bee: Pollinators Need Trees & Shrubs, Too!
Saturday, April 15
Friday, May 12; 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Age 21 +
Information about pollinator habitat often focuses on blooming plants that
pollinators rely on during the summer months. Join Debbie Fluegel, from Trees
Forever, to learn how trees, shrubs and associated woodland plants benefit
pollinators, particularly as food sources in early spring when pollinators begin
to emerge and in the winter when several kinds of pollinators seek shelter in or
near woody material. Discover how these plants can be incorporated into existing
or new conservation plantings. This presentation is for everyone who has an
interest in providing habitat for pollinators including homeowners, farmers,
acreage owners, and community members.
Fees apply with discounts for members
Registration and pre-payment required.
Woodland Wildflower Walk
Sunday, April 23; 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Enjoy a stroll through Funks Grove to discover the diversity of wildflowers that
carpet the forest floor.
Free for members of Sugar Grove Nature Center or Wild Ones, Fee applies for
non-members. Registration and prepayment required.
Backyard Bird Watching Basics II: Spring Into Birds
Tuesday, May 2; 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Spring migrants are returning daily! Whether you are just begging to identify
birds or need to brush up on your ID skills, here is your chance. We will review
basic bird identification techniques and show you how to identify more than 25
common spring and summer birds! This program is co-sponsored by the John Wesley
Powell Audubon Society.
Fee applies with discounts for members of Sugar Grove Nature Center or John
Wesley Powell Audubon Society. Registration and prepayment required by
April 25.
A Toast to Nature: Bees, Mead, and Beer, Oh My!
Friday, May 19; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Honey bees make life enjoyable in many ways! Join Central Illinois Beekeeping
Association members, Tom Pankeon and Patti Koranda, to learn about the life of
honeybees and how honey can be used to make mead and other beverages.
Participants will sample beverages made using honey and snack on light
appetizers.
Fees apply with discounts for members
You must be 21 or over to attend this program. Registration and prepayment
required.
Summer Solstice Celebration in the Herb Garden
Wednesday, June 21; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Join us in celebrating the longest day of the year! Visit our herb garden to see
what is growing. Discover the holistic healing properties of essential oils and
how these oils work to support a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Learn the ins
and outs of using crystals to heal, strengthen, and promote healthy herbs.
Create an aromatic lavender wand to take home. Taste herbal teas, refreshing
mojitos, and other tonics while you enjoy an assortment of light appetizers!
Learn, sample, sniff, and enjoy an enchanted summer evening in Funks Grove.
Finish off the evening by tossing fresh herbs in the bonfire to insure a
prosperous harvest!
Fees apply with discounts for members
Registration and prepayment required by June 14. You must be 21 or over to
attend this program.
[Rachael Kramp,Environmental Support
Specialist]
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