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Upcoming Programs & Events

Feeding Day
Monday, December 4   4:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Lizards, turtles, bugs, snakes, bunnies oh my! We’ve got lots of mouths to feed here at the Nature Center! Come by to help prepare diets and feed the critters. But that’s not all! Captive animals require enrichment in their lives to relieve stress and boredom. Make fun puzzles, toys, and decorations for them as well! 

​Little Explorers: Bones
Tuesday, December 5   5pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Little Explorers is an interactive program for young children, ages 0-5. Activities focus on stimulating infants’ senses and developing toddlers’ and preschoolers’ fine motor skills. This month we’ll explore bones! We will be inside this month.
 
Homeschool in Nature: Telemetry
Thursday, December 7   10am & 2pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Tracking all animals…well maybe not ALL the animals. This month we will learn how and why researchers use telemetry to track animals. Students will each get a chance to do some tracking on their own. Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register your 5–12-year-old.
 
Holiday Decorations
Saturday, December 9   11am   Lowe-Volk Park
Brighten up your house by making a holiday decoration with pine boughs and cones! We will provide different evergreen cones, pine boughs, ribbon, glue guns, wreath forms, and miscellaneous items from nature. If you have other items you wish to add to your wreath or a certain ribbon you prefer, bring those with you!

Snowy Owls
Tuesday, December 12   6pm   Virtual
Snowy Owls often migrate from their summer homes in the Arctic to Ohio during winter months, even to Crawford County! Join Chelsea for an interactive presentation all about Snowy Owls, learning their natural history and the best places to find one this winter. Call the CPD office to register and receive a Zoom link.     

Movie in the Park
Friday, December 15   6pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Put on your pajamas, grab a blanket, and head over to the Nature Center for a family favorite holiday movie! There will be popcorn, hot chocolate, and themed activities to go with the movie. We might even get to snack on all four food groups: Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corn, and Syrup!
 
Rockin’ Reindeer
Monday, December 18   5:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
We love turning nature into art pieces. Using river rocks, sticks, paint, and glue, we’re going to make reindeer in the stable. All ages are welcome!
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, December 23   6pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Friday, December 29   7:30am   Meet at Lowe-Volk Park
The classic example of citizen science, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count collects data on bird populations throughout North America. Field counters and bird feeder counters are welcome! If you’d like to participate and would like more information, contact the CPD office at 419-683-9000.
 
Face to Face: Lizards
Saturday, December 30   11am   Lowe-Volk Park
Join Chelsea to meet the Nature Center’s lizards! Simon, a bearded dragon, will be the star of the show, and kids will have the opportunity to hold and feed him. We will also learn about one of Ohio’s native lizard species, the Common Five-lined Skink, and see one up close!
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, December 30   6pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Feeding Day
Monday, January 1   4:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Lizards, turtles, bugs, snakes, bunnies oh my! We’ve got lots of mouths to feed here at the Nature Center! Come by to help prepare diets and feed the critters. But that’s not all! Captive animals require enrichment in their lives to relieve stress and boredom. Make fun puzzles, toys, and decorations for them as well!
 
Little Explorers: Snow
Tuesday, January 2   5pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Little Explorers is an interactive program for young children, ages 0-5. Activities focus on stimulating infants’ senses and developing toddlers’ and preschoolers’ fine motor skills. This month we’ll explore cold, fluffy, flaky snow! We will be inside and outside (if there’s snow!) this month.
 
Homeschool in Nature: Wildlife Timeline
Thursday, January 4   10am & 2pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Over the past two centuries, Ohio’s landscape and wildlife has changed drastically. This month we will step back in time to see which animals called Ohio home. Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register your 5–12-year-old.
 
Tracks in the Trails
Thursday, January 4   4pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Which animals have been using our park? Join Chelsea to hike the trails in search of animal tracks in the mud or snow. We will practice identifying which animal the tracks we find belong to!
 
Frozen Critters
Wednesday, January 10   5:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Ohio winters can be harsh with temperatures falling below freezing, but animals have different ways to survive in this environment. One peculiar adaptation is how an animal can be nearly frozen through, but when the temperatures rise, they “come back to life”. Come out to learn about these animals and even meet a few species that are known to be “frozen critters”.
 
The Ice Age in Crawford County
Tuesday, January 16   6pm   Virtual
Over 10,000 years ago, Ohio was a very different landscape. Huge mammals and even larger sheets of ice would have been dominant in Crawford County. Join Josh for this virtual presentation that will delve into our “cool” history that not only shaped the land we use today but has provided underground surprises in the form of ancient bones. Call the CPD office to register and receive a Zoom link.     
 
Face to Face: Axolotls
Saturday, January 20   11am   Lowe-Volk Park
Join Chelsea to meet two of the most popular animals residing in our Nature Center: axolotls! We will learn what makes axolotls so unique and why they are endangered in the wild. Attendees will also be able to touch or hold an axolotl.
 
Feeding Day
Monday, January 22   4:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Lizards, turtles, bugs, snakes, bunnies oh my! We’ve got lots of mouths to feed here at the Nature Center! Come by to help prepare diets and feed the critters. But that’s not all! Captive animals require enrichment in their lives to relieve stress and boredom. Make fun puzzles, toys, and decorations for them as well!
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, January 27    6:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Homeschool in Nature: Nature Knowledge
Thursday, February 1   10am & 2pm   Lowe-Volk Park
This month we are going to see which team has the most nature knowledge. Some questions will be from previous classes, and some are just general facts. The winning team will get to lead our hike. Call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to register your 5–12-year-old.
 
Surreal Snapshots: Patience and the Power of Photography
Saturday, February 3   11am   Lowe-Volk Park
Dr. Brad Imhoff spends much of his free time behind a camera capturing Ohio’s wildlife, especially birds. His favorite time in the field is spent seeking out local rarities and photographing waterfowl and shorebirds. His bird photography has been featured in textbooks, field guides, magazines, calendars, and a variety of other media. Join Dr. Imhoff as he opens his photography exhibit with an exceptional visual presentation, showcasing surreal snapshots and stories of our natural world.
 
Surreal Snapshots Photography Exhibit
Saturday, February 3- Saturday, March 2   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Ohio Birding
Saturday, February 3   1pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Do you enjoy watching and feeding birds? Come and learn about the common birds of Ohio. Learn how to identify birds, use binoculars and spotting scopes, and set up bird feeders and bird houses. We will look at Ohio nature guides, the Ohio Division of Wildlife website, and apps on your phone that can help you identify birds by their appearance and calls. We will also learn about our nation’s largest spring warbler migration that takes place at Ohio’s Magee Marsh.
 
Feeding Day
Monday, February 5  4:30pm  Lowe-Volk Park
Lizards, turtles, bugs, snakes, bunnies oh my! We’ve got lots of mouths to feed here at the Nature Center! Come by to help prepare diets and feed the critters. But that’s not all! Captive animals require enrichment in their lives to relieve stress and boredom. Make fun puzzles, toys, and decorations for them as well!
 
Little Explorers: Feathers
Tuesday, February 6    5pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Little Explorers is an interactive program for young children, ages 0-5. Activities focus on stimulating infants’ senses and developing toddlers’ and preschoolers’ fine motor skills. This month we’ll explore feathers!
 
Rock Tumbling
Sat, Feb. 10 & 24    10 am – 12 pm    Lowe-Volk Park
You will learn about rock tumbling equipment and the process of tumbling rocks. We will start a rock tumbler with rough stone and go through all 4 polishing stages to create beautiful, polished rocks. Volunteer Bryan Summer will lead this rockin’ program! The first session will start the rough tumbling process; session 2 will finish the polish tumble. A one-hour multimedia lesson will be part of this hands-on activity. Please plan on attending both sessions. Call the Park District at 419.683.9000 to register. Walk-ins are still welcome.
 
Explore Carpenter’s Bottom
Saturday, February 10   1pm   Carpenter’s Bottom Natural Area
One of the newest park properties is open for hikers! Join Josh to explore Carpenter’s Bottom Natural Area, which also includes the former Conservation League property. These two properties, situated along the banks of the Sandusky River, comprise the largest land acquisition in CPD history! This program will venture established trails but will include some “off-trail” hiking. Put on those hiking shoes and come explore your newest park! All ages welcome.
 
Face to Face: Snakes
Saturday, February 17   11am   Lowe-Volk Park
Come meet the snake ambassadors of the Nature Center up close! There will be opportunities to touch and hold a Cornsnake and an Eastern Milksnake, and we will learn all about the amazing adaptations that snakes have!
 
Amphibians of Vernal Pools
Tuesday, February 20   6pm   Virtual
While vernal pools host a variety of life, amphibians are considered the face of these unique habitats. Salamanders and frogs need these temporary bodies of water for egg deposition. Join Josh for this virtual presentation that will explore their “slimy” life from egg to adult. Call the CPD office to register and receive a Zoom link.     
 
Viewing the Night Sky
Saturday, February 24   7pm   Lowe-Volk Park
 
Snow Insects
Sunday, February 25   2pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Some insects are most active on warm, late winter days on top of the snow. Join Chelsea to discover which insects are active in winter and why they are most comfortable in the cold. This program will include an indoor presentation, concluding with a hike down to the Sandusky River to search for snow insects. If we are lucky, we may find the elusive Snow Scorpionfly! The date is subject to change based on weather conditions, so please check our website or Facebook page for updates.
 
Nature’s Best Leapers
Wednesday, February 28   5:30pm   Lowe-Volk Park
Every four years we have leap year! Celebrating a day early, come out to learn about some of the best leapers in nature. We will have a contest to see who the best leaper of the night is. This program is designed for children up to 5th grade.