Wilderness Programs for Young Adventurers at The Nature Museum at Grafton

posted Friday, January 23, 2015

Time in nature increases happiness, health, and wellbeing in kids. Turn off the TV, switch off the laptop, hide the smartphone, open the door, look up, and get outside! This February, The Nature Museum at Grafton is offering two unique, outdoor adventures for young Vermonters and visitors during local school vacations.

Wild Walkers: Ancient Fire Making Skills on Tuesday, February 17: Wild Walkers is a partnership between The Nature Museum and Vermont Wilderness School, offering day-long outdoor experiences for youth ages 10 to 14. Ancient Fire Making Skills will be held on Tuesday, February 17, from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM in the woods and fields around The Nature Museum. Students will explore fire making through a variety of approaches, including 1-match fires, fire making in wet or windy conditions, the use of "primitive" fire making tools such as the bow drill, safe fire tending and extinguishing, and more. Once the fire is blazing, the group will take on additional challenges: boiling water to make tea from locally gathered tree ingredients, boiling an egg, or, depending on snow conditions, experimenting with the survival skill of melting snow for cooking and drinking in winter. Learning fire making skills builds self-sufficiency, emergency preparedness, ecological awareness, and hazard avoidance in the wild. Early-bird registration (by February 3) is $30 per student for this six-hour program. After February 3rd (if space remains): $35.

Brave Bears: Wild Animal Tracking on Wednesday, February 18: Brave Bears is The Nature Museum's series of natural science programs geared for six- to nine-year-olds. Wild Animal Tracking will be held Wednesday, February 18th, 2015 from 10 AM to 3 PM at The Nature Museum. We'll start the day by learning tracking skills inside, and then embark on a snowshoeing adventure in forests and fields to follow tracks, collecting clues and reading stories left in the snow by our furry and feathered friends. The Brave Bears will also help build a campfire, listen to stories, and enjoy each other's company as we sit huddled up around the leaping flames and delight in some hot chocolate and a fireside snack. This program encourages curiosity, attention to detail, and a sense of adventure in all young naturalists. The Nature Museum at Grafton will provide snowshoes for all participants who do not bring their own. Early-bird registration (by February 4) is $20 per student for this five hour program. After February 4rd (if space remains): $25.

Please register online for Wild Walkers and/or Brave Bears at www.nature-museum.org, or call us at (802) 843-2111. These programs have filled quickly in the past; register early to ensure a spot! Youth should bring a hearty bagged lunch, water bottle, and appropriate, warm clothes to both programs.

The Nature Museum at Grafton is a regional resource for nature, science, and environmental education in the Vermont and New Hampshire communities of the Connecticut River Valley. The Nature Museum offers hands-on natural history exhibits, nature programs for adults and children, plus tours for schools and community groups. Information about other upcoming events can be found on The Nature Museum at Grafton's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/naturemuseumatgrafton) and on their website (www.nature-museum.org).

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