Oakland County Parks and Recreation (OCPR) is home to two amazing nature centers – Red Oaks Nature Center in Madison Heights and Wint Nature Center in Clarkston – and both offer exciting indoor and outdoor programming all winter long!
Featured Programs
- American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters at select programs
- Yoga with Studio 8 Fitness at Wint Nature Center on Sunday, March 19, 2-3 p.m.
- Scout Badge Days
- StarLab
American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters
The OCPR Nature Education team is now working with DEAF C.A.N.! to provide ASL interpreters for select nature education programs. Patrons can reach out to the nature centers to request an interpreter for any program they wish to attend. While every effort will be made to accommodate all requests, a minimum of a week lead time is helpful.
Check out the next upcoming program with a scheduled ASL interpreter:
The Sweetest Season (ASL) – Saturday, Feb. 25, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Red Oaks Nature Center. See “Programs by Nature Center” section for full program details.
Yoga at Wint Nature Center
Wellness in the Woods – Sunday, March 19, 2-3 p.m. at Wint Nature Center
Train your brain to achieve a greater state of calm through a walking meditation, mini-hike and some gentle yoga. Spending time in nature and mindfulness practices like yoga can decrease stress, improve emotional regulation and just feel good! Donna Tomassi from Studio 8 Fitness will lead the class, which will take place indoors or outdoors depending on the weather. Bring a towel, blanket or yoga mat. Ages 7 and up, and great for all abilities. $5/person. Call 248-858-0916 to register.
Scout Badge Days
Attention troop leaders and parents of scouts: both OCPR nature centers offer year-round interactive sessions that meet Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts of America badge requirements for the badges offered. Scouts can attend individually or as a troop. Winter is the perfect season to work towards new badges and now you can register online!
Preregistration is required and the fee is $10/scout for each badge session – no fee for adults. One adult is required for every five scouts and nature centers do not provide badges. Refer to the Scout Badge Days flyer for full details.
Can’t make the scheduled dates? If you are unable to attend a badge day or are interested in a different badge, please call the nature centers – Red Oaks 248-585-0100 or Wint 248-625-6473 – to schedule a field trip with a naturalist who can help your group achieve select badge requirements, including Girl Scout Journeys.
StarLab
StarLab is a portable, inflatable planetarium that brings the wonder of the night sky indoors. You can take a naturalist-guided tour of the current night sky – which is projected on the inside of the dome – at one of the nature centers or even at your own site. Programs may help teachers meet some Michigan Science Standards. If you want StarLab to come to you:
- StarLab requires a quiet, clean area with electricity in a 23’ x 23’ x 11’ room
- It accommodates up to 30 people per 45-minute presentation
- It is intended for students in first grade and up
Please see the StarLab flyer for pricing and other details.
Virtual Take & Make Crafts
These fun, crafty kits provide a great opportunity for hands-on nature learning. Reserve a kit by calling 248-858-0916 during regular business hours and pick them up from either nature center. Unless otherwise noted, participants will receive instructions for tuning in to a live Zoom demonstration to craft along with a naturalist and a recorded demonstration will be made available for those unable to attend the live session.
- EcoFriends: Making Tracks Self-led Kit.
Kits available for pickup Feb. 17-28
Instead of throwing away your shoes, use this kit to turn old soles into a fun nature craft that you can use again and again. Kits include materials to turn your old shoes into animal track stamps, as well as several ideas for other crafts or activities. Appropriate for families and all ages. $6/kit.
- UV Photography Nature Print Kit
Available for purchase until Feb. 19 and pickup between March 9-19
Anna Atkins – a nineteenth century English botanical artist and photographer – was the first person to illustrate a book using a new photographic process called the cyanotype. This process uses ultraviolet light to create rich blue and white prints. This kit can be used to create countless unique art prints. Appropriate for all ages. $25/kit.
Kits can be picked up at Red Oaks Nature Center from Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or Sundays, noon-5 p.m. or from Wint Nature Center from Thursday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or Sundays, 1-5 p.m. Please note the pickup start date for each specific kit. Limited number of kits are available and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Free Programs and Activities
- A Walk in the Woods: Call either of the nature centers to set up a free, naturalist-guided nature hike. Participants will learn about seasonal topics while getting some exercise and enjoying the great outdoors. Pre-set day/time slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. See “Programs by Nature Center” section for more details.
- A Visit to the Red Oaks Nature Center: Come in to visit with captive live animals and enjoy nature-themed interactive displays, books, puzzles and more. Visitors can explore 1.3 miles of beautiful, paved trail around the center, including a storybook trail.
- A Visit to the Wint Nature Center: Come in to visit with captive live animals and enjoy hands-on natural history exhibits, nature-themed interactive displays, books, puzzles and more. Outside the center, visitors can enjoy an outdoor sensory garden and bird-feeding station.
Programs by Nature Center
Preregistration for programs is required. Please call 248-858-0916 to register during regular weekday business hours. To register on the weekend, please call the nature center directly. Programs may take place outdoors or have an outdoor component so dress for the weather. Programs may be canceled due to inclement weather. Please do not attend if you are ill. Refunds will be issued for illness or inclement weather. See the Winter 2023 Nature Education Programs brochure for full listings and additional details.
Red Oaks Nature Center, 30300 Hales St., Madison Heights 248-585-0100
- A Walk in the Woods
Fridays: Feb. 17 and March 17, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. timeslots
Set up a FREE personal, naturalist-guided nature hike. Participants will learn about seasonal topics and get some exercise while enjoying the great outdoors. Up to three family groups per timeslot. No pets.
- Birds and Beans
Saturday, Feb. 18, 10-11 a.m.
Spend a Saturday morning birdwatching and participate in a global bird day: the Great Backyard Bird Count of 2023. You will start off indoors to learn about basic bird identification before hitting the trails to look for birds. Checklists and birding apps will help participants track which birds they spot, and data will be entered following the program. $5/person.
- The Sweetest Season
Saturday, Feb. 25 or March 25, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Michigan has a history steeped in maple sweetness. Participants in this program will learn about the sugaring process, tap a tree in the sugar bush and hike the storybook trail to read “The Sweetest Season” by Michigan author, Elissa Kerr. They will also have a chance to sample maple treats and take home some maple recipes they can make themselves. All ages welcome. $10/person. The program on Feb. 25 will have an ASL interpreter.
- Barking up the Right Tree
Sunday, Feb. 26, 2-3:30 p.m.
Most tree identification is done through examining leaves, but during the winter and early spring – when branches are bare – we have to turn to other methods. Participants will work with a naturalist to examine several trees commonly found in Oakland County to learn how to identify them by their bark alone. Ages 5 and up. $6/person.
- Wolves Call of the Wild Badge – Scout Badge Days
Saturday, March 11, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.
Scouts will learn how to prepare for a camping adventure, including what to do in severe weather. $10/scout.
- Bears Super Science Badge – Scout Badge Days
Saturday, March 18, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.
Put on your goggles and learn all about static electricity, buoyancy, color-layering and color-morphing during this super scientific badge session. $10/scout.
Wint Nature Center, 9501 Sashabaw Rd., Clarkston 248-625-6473
- Webelos Earth Rocks Badge – Scout Badge Days
Saturday, March 18, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.
During this interactive badge session, scouts will learn about the rocks that compose the Earth and the processes by which they change. $10/scout.
- Wellness in the Woods
Sunday, March 19, 2-3 p.m.
Train your brain to achieve a greater state of calm through a walking meditation, mini-hike and some gentle yoga. Spending time in nature and mindfulness practices like yoga can decrease stress, improve emotional regulation and just feel good! Donna Tomassi from Studio 8 Fitness will lead the class, which will take place indoors or outdoors depending on the weather. Bring a towel, blanket or yoga mat. Ages 7 and up, and great for all abilities. $5/person.
For more information, visit Oakland County Parks and Recreation’s website. Follow along with them for programs, events, and news on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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