The Land Trust is excited to bring back our series just for families this year—Nature Kids!
Nature Kids outings are guided family nature walks just for families with kids ages 5-10. What can you expect? Get creative by making unique insect art or nature mandalas. Learn about how birds communicate, the ways that flowers attract pollinators, or how monarch butterflies make their amazing migrations. Find your whimsy with a teddy bear picnic and wildlife inventors!
Offered at Land Trust Preserves and in Bend, Madras, Prineville, and Sisters. April outings posted now, full schedule online on April 10th!
Get outside, explore the nature of Central Oregon, meet other families, and have fun with the Land Trust’s Nature Kids!
This year's Nature Kids include (see our event page for registration details):
- April: Sky Explorers! Explore the world of birds! Learn all about bird watching, practice using binoculars, and discover how birds communicate and find tasty snacks. Dates/locations: April 8 at Sawyer Park in Bend, April 18 at Sahalee Park in Madras and Ochoco Preserve in Prineville and April 25 at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve in Sisters.
- May: Pollinator Power! Explore the world of flowers and their pollinators! Learn how a flower’s size, shape, color, and smell have the power to attract unique pollinators. Dates/locations: May 13 at Miller's Landing Park in Bend, May 16 at Sahalee Park in Madras and Ochoco Preserve in Prineville, and May 30 at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve in Sisters.
- May: Bird Basics! Explore the world of birds! Learn all about bird watching, practice using binoculars, and check out nests and feathers while you see who lives at Land Trust Preserves. Date/location: May 15 at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve in Sisters.
- June: Wild Inventors! Explore the incredible ways animals turn everyday objects into high-tech solutions. Join us on this wild adventure where we discover how animals use their brains (and their tools) to survive. Dates/locations: June 10 at Al Moody Park in Bend, June 20 at Sahalee Park in Madras and Ochoco Preserve in Prineville, and June 27 at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve in Sisters.
- June: Wildlife in our Woods! Test your observation skills by finding signs that animals leave behind in their daily travels. Date/location: June 19 at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve in Sisters.
- July: Insect Olympics! Explore the world of insects! Featuring butterflies, bees, and insect transformations, we’ll observe colorful butterflies, create unique insect art, and have fun learning about insects. Dates/locations: July 8 at Alpenglow Park in Bend, July 18 at Sahalee Park in Madras and Ochoco Preserve in Prineville, and July 25 at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve in Sisters.
- July: Wildlife in our Woods! Test your observation skills by finding signs that animals leave behind in their daily travels. Date/location: July 17 at Willow Springs Preserve in Sisters.
- August: Teddy Bear Picnic! Celebrate summer and picnic with your favorite stuffies! Have a picnic beneath the trees with wonderful games to play! Dates/locations: August 12 at Shevlin Park in Bend, August 15 at Sahalee Park in Madras and Ochoco Preserve in Prineville, and August 19 at Paulina Creek Preserve in La Pine.
- August: Bird Basics! Explore the world of birds! Learn all about bird watching, practice using binoculars, and check out nests and feathers while you see who lives at Land Trust Preserves. Date/location: Aug 21 at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve in Sisters.
- September: Wings of Wonder! Take a magical journey through the world of one of the most famous travelers in the animal kingdom, the monarch butterfly. Dates/locations: September 9 at Shevlin Park in Bend, September 19 at Sahalee Park in Madras and Ochoco Preserve in Prineville, and September 26 at Paulina Creek Preserve in La Pine.
- October: Batty for Bats! Discover the hidden world of one of Central Oregon’s most misunderstood residents, bats. Dates/locations: October 14 at Hollingshead Park in Bend, October 17 at Sahalee Park in Madras and Ochoco Preserve in Prineville, and October 31 at the Metolius Preserve in Camp Sherman.
Other kids' outings that are offered by the Land Trust (see our event page for registration details):
- May 9, 2026, 9-11am. Mama + Baby Birds at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, Sisters
- May 16, 2026, 1-3pm. Kids' Fairy Houses at the Metolius Preserve, Camp Sherman
- June 20, 2026, 9-11am. Kids' Bird Walk at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, Sisters
- June 26, 2026, 10am-1pm. Kids' Butterfly Walk at the Metolius Preserve, Camp Sherman
- July 10, 2026, 10am-1pm. Kids' Butterfly Walk at the Metolius Preserve, Camp Sherman
- September 19, 2026, 1-3pm. Kids' Falling for Nature at the Metolius Preserve, Camp Sherman