Nature

During this fun, hands-on program we will learn all about whales.  We will use different tools to help us understand how big adult whales get.  Each participant will choose their own special whale.  After coloring-in their whale, they will place it on the particular ocean it calls home.  There will be a fun activity for each child to make and take home.  “Friends of Whales” certificates will be given out at the end of the program.  This program is appropriate for home-schooled and other children in grades K-3.  Parent or adult chaperone must stay with their child during the program.  Children and accompanying adults will find themselves joining in the fun activities.

Joppa Flats Education Center helps families beat the blahs and keep minds active and hands busy during school break! Head out into the wild with kids and families for great outdoor explorations this April vacation. For families with children ages 3 and up, School and Youth Education Coordinator Lisa Hutchings heads a program where kids will to learn all about the "nursery of the sea" with our salt marsh science stations including live minnow ID, salinity experiments, and a chance to meet some of the live inhabitants of the salt marsh.

Why do we have seasons? Why is it hotter in summer and colder in winter?  What is wind? How is it measured? How do clouds form? Where do snowflakes come from and why do they fall to Earth? Join us for fun, interactive learning activities to answer these questions about wind, weather, and snow. Learn how to make your own weather vane. Be a snowflake engineer (with the help of toothpicks and marshmallows) and take your tasty construction home! 

Join a ranger for a tour of a beautiful spot that few people visit: Nelson Island. If we’re lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a nesting osprey. Learn about the history of this little known refuge jewel. If weather and tide permits, we’ll take a very short walk along the marsh. (Muddy, wet areas are possible so rubber boots are recommended.) Consider bringing binoculars and/or a camera. *Please note: Those who call and leave messages after hours, your registration is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation call from a refuge staff member.