5 Reasons You Must Register for the Next Park Program

If you have read much in the “Kids” section of this site, I’m sure you will know that I am head-over-heels in love with our Parks Program. They offer a myriad of educational activities throughout Central Ohio and all for free!

Living just outside the city has a lot of perks, but for this rural girl, I crave nature! I grew up getting lost for hours in my grandpa’s woods. We milked cows, collected eggs, helped bail hay… Ahh… Farm life 🙂

My children, however, don’t have these opportunities much. The Parks Programs allows us to escape for a little while and learn about the various types of animals around, in addition to simply learning about nature! Plus, the programs are YEAR ROUND, which means we have activities at our fingertips each week!

If you have read my Planning Power post, you know that I set up our month utilizing the Metro Parks and Library Systems activities. This saves me time preparing lessons and also helps develop a “theme” of the week for our preschool lessons. {It’s kind of like having them as my personal teaching staff!} I have less to prep and it gives us a reason to get out of the house. It’s a way that I can be more lazy efficient in my lesson planning.

We attended a great program yesterday on “Canines” and it really got me thinking about the fact that had we not found the Metro Parks a few years ago, I would have absolutely no idea what a resource we have available right in our own back yard. So, I decided to share with you 5 Reasons You Must Register for the Next Park Program.

1. It is FREE! You simply have to register on the Metro Park Web site.
       
2. The Park Program takes work off your plate. The Explorer Program is specifically designed for pre-schoolers and young elementary students. In each session, kids learn about a specific subject, complete an arts & crafts project, and take a nature “hike” {weather permitting, and usually on a trail}.
       
3. You can explore the parks. If we didn’t go to the Metro Park Explorer Programs, the odds are that we wouldn’t have gone to quite a few of the parks in town. By registering for a new program, we discovered some great parks, each with their own niche. {Did you know that Scioto Audubon has a free rock wall for anyone over 13!}
   
4. Play dates are inevitable. Either by design or simply by recognizing families who also seem to always attend the programs, you will meet new people and the kids will interact with other little ones their own age – more than likely on the play ground 🙂 Bring a picnic and simply enjoy the quiet time with your little one alone or with some friends.
5. You & your minions learn about nature. Let’s face it, there isn’t a lot of opportunity to escape into the woods. It’s fun to get into the water and learn about fish and also go into the woods searching for fox tracks. Enjoy these moments with your kids and learn some fun things as well. {Did you know that by hitting two quarters together you can replicate a squirrel call?}
       

So, why are you still reading this? Go to the Metro Park Web site now and register for the next Explorer Program!

Have a great day!

P.S. There are great activities for adults too!