It was touch and go with the weather forecast all week, but on the day of the event, the skies held off until after the event ended and even allowed time for organizers and exhibitors to pack out their gear. Then the heavens let loose, giving nature’s special punctuation mark on a great day connecting kids with nature!
SWC’s third annual Kids in Nature Day was held again on May 4th at Garner’s spacious Lake Benson Park, with more hands on exhibits and activities than ever before. Ranger Rick was there to greet them, as they went off down the trails to have fun and learn about everything from reptiles, amphibians, bears, wolves, birds, bees and other pollinators, fish, arachnids, crustaceans, and macroinvertebrates to native plants, trees, and soil. There were nature craft projects to do and, along the trail, kids joined in with Andrew the Amusing Musician to make joyful sounds together, too.
Early survey results show families enjoyed the event, with 81% giving 5 stars and 100% wanting to come back again next year! We are forever grateful to the many volunteers and exhibitors that put so much effort into putting on this event. Our hope is that it has inspired many young people to enjoy and respect the wildlife and habitat that are so critical to sustaining life on our planet. We are already excited to look ahead to doing it again in 2025!
Oh wow! The kids and I are still talking about what we learned and saw! My kids have been out looking at different parts of nature with their magnifying glasses, digging in the mud, identifying scat, fossils, birds, animal tracks and lichen- absolutely incredible experience, thank you!
Please enjoy the following photo collection from Kids in Nature Day 2024 by Ted Morée (Last Caw Media).
Please join us in thanking Lake Benson Park for hosting our event, Crowder Park for providing extra equipment, and our many valued partners that put together each of the exhibits this year throughout the venue.
- Champions for Wildlife
- ecoEXPLORE
- Garner Parks, Rec, & Cultural Rscrcs.
- Leaf & Limb
- Museum of Life & Science
- NC Bluebird Society
- NC Cooperative Extension
- NC Dept. of Environmental Quality
- NC Museum of Natural Science
- NC Native Plant Society
- NC State Entomology Graduate Student Association
- NC State Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association
- NC State Turtle Rescue Team
- NC Wildlife Federation
- NC Wildlife Resources Commission
- NCSU Sub-Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
- Wake Audubon
- Wake Co. Beekeepers Assoc.
- Wake Co. Parks & Rec. – Crowder & Yates Mill
- Wake Co. Soil & Water Conservation District
- We Plant it Forward
- South Wake Conservationists Volunteers
And we could not have done it without the financial support of our sponsors and individual donors. Thank you!
South Wake Conservationists 