Five Rivers MetroParks Events
August – CONSERVATION & CITIZEN SCIENCE CONSERVATION KIDS: EXPLORERS & VOYAGERS (AGES 6-13) This series, designed for families with 6- to 13-year-olds, nurtures kids’ desire to explore nature and empowers them to speak out for the planet they will soon inherit. Watch as your child grows closer to nature, develops leadership skills and works with peers to protect Montgomery County’s ecology. By completing programs in each of the three levels of this series, your child also will receive a special MetroParks Conservation Kids hoodie. Visit metroparks.org/kids.
(FREE) SPIDER SEARCH Sat. Sep 3, 2:00-3:30 pm Q84 TAYLORSVILLE METROPARK, Shelter: CCC/East Park Parking Lot, 2101 U.S. 40 Challenge undesired fears while learning more about these adaptable creatures. See a brown recluse and black widow so you’ll know how to recognize them. Registration is requested and available online at metroparks.org; walk-ins welcome. Age: 6Y-13Y (FREE)
FOSSIL FUN Sun. Sep 4, 10:00-11:30 am Q85 GERMANTOWN METROPARK, Welcome Center Parking Lot, 6910 Boomershine Rd. Explore Ohio’s incredible fossils and geologic history, make a fossil and take a short hike to view rock formations. Registration is requested and available online at metroparks.org; walk-ins welcome. Age: 6Y-13Y
YOUTH NATURALIST TRAINING Sun. Sep 4, 2:00-4:00 pm Q114 COX ARBORETUM METROPARK, Kettering Learning Lab, 6733 Springboro Pk. Learn what it takes to be a naturalist and how to get your peers excited about Earth! Participants will receive a nature tool pack to help lead their own hike for their friends. Registration is required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: 6Y-13Y Fee: $10
MONARCH TAGGING Sat. Sep 24, 1:00-2:30 pm Q115 CARRIAGE HILL METROPARK, Shelter: Redwing/Parking Lot, 7821 E. Shull Rd. Monarchs are beginning their migration to Mexico, so come take part in a project monitoring this amazing migration! Help capture, tag, & record data to help with butterfly conservation efforts. Registration is required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: 6Y-13Y Fee: $5
CONSERVATION KIDS: TIKES (AGES 3-5) This series, designed for families with 3- to 5-year-olds, nurtures kids’ desire to discover nature and empowers them to speak out for the planet they will soon inherit. Watch as your child grows closer to nature, develops leadership skills and works with peers to protect Montgomery County’s ecology. By completing programs in each of the three levels of this series, your child also will receive a special MetroParks Conservation Kids backpack. Visit metroparks.org/kids.
TIKE NATURALIST TRAINING Sun. Sep 4, 2:00-4:00 pm Q113 COX ARBORETUM METROPARK, Mead Westvaco Theatre, 6733 Springboro Pk. Learn what it takes to be a naturalist and how to get your peers excited about the planet! Participants will receive a nature tool pack to help lead their own hike for their friends. Registration is required and available at metroparks.org. Age: 3Y-5Y Fee: $10 (FREE)
BUTTERFLY BONANZA Tue. Sep 20, 1:00-2:30 pm Q86 COX ARBORETUM METROPARK, Parking Lot, 6733 Springboro Pk. Children will learn about butterflies, how to interact with them, and celebrate all they do for us! Registration is requested and available online at metroparks.org; walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-5Y
(FREE) SPIDER KID Tue. Sep 27, 10:00-11:30 am Q87 ENGLEWOOD METROPARK, Patty Shelter Parking Lot, 4361 National Rd. Help your tike feel comfortable and appreciate creepy crawlies as we search for spider webs and learn about their occupants. Registration is requested and available online; walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-5Y
MONARCH TAGGING! Wed. Sep 28, 1:00-2:30 pm Q112 COX ARBORETUM METROPARK, Parking Lot, 6733 Springboro Pk. Monarchs are beginning their migration to Mexico, so come take part in a project monitoring this amazing migration! Help capture, tag and record data to help with butterfly conservation efforts. Registration is required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: 3Y-5Y Fee: $5
GARDENING (FREE) GARDEN HABITAT EXPLORATION Fri. Aug 26, 10:00-11:00 am Q203 WEGERZYN GARDENS METROPARK, Children’s Discovery Garden, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Families with elementary age kids and up tour the Children’s Discover Garden to learn about native habitats and then explore the woods, prairie and wetlands at throughout the park. Registration is required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: All ages
GARDENING FOR KIDS Thu. Sep 8, 10:00-11:00 am Q171 WEGERZYN GARDENS METROPARK, Skeeter’s Garden, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Learn basic botany and vegetable gardening. Participants will help tend the garden, sample available veggies and herbs, and plant seeds to take home and grow. Registration required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: 6Y-10Y Fee: $5
SEED SAVING FOR FAMILIES Sat. Sep 10, 11:00 am-12:30 pm Q242 POSSUM CREEK METROPARK, Possum Creek Education Building, 4790 Frytown Rd. A family that saves together stays together! Join us for an afternoon of seed saving. Each family will go home with some seeds that they harvest from our demonstration garden. Registration is required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: All ages Fee: per Family: $10
(FREE) SEED COLLECTING Tue. Sep 20, 6:00-7:00 pm Q223 WEGERZYN GARDENS METROPARK, Skeeter’s Shelter , 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. This is the time of year when birds look for seeds, and so will we! Today we will collect seeds from plants in the Children’s Garden and each child will take some home for planting. Next, we’ll go out into the main gardens and discover plants that have different ways of displaying their seeds. Registration is required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: 2Y-5Y
(FREE) SEED AND PERENNIAL PLANT SWAP Sat. Oct 1, 9:00 am-2:00 pm R11 OFFSITE, Brookville Branch Library, 120 Blue Pride Dr The Dayton Metro Library Seed Lending Library and Five Rivers MetroParks celebrate the fourth annual swap! Dig up perennials, and bring your extra houseplants and heirloom or open-pollinated seeds, labeled and ready to swap. Learn about local community gardens and our seed library. No registration required. Contact (937) 463-2665 or www.daytonmetrolibrary.org/events for details. Age: All ages
HERITAGE AND HISTORY MORNING CHORES Sat. Sep 17, 8:30-10:00 am Q163 CARRIAGE HILL METROPARK, Carriage Hill Historical Farm, 7850 E. Shull Rd. Join a farm staff member to experience a typical work day for a farm hand. Participants will help with a variety of historical chores. Meet at the front gate of the farm. Registration is required and available online at metroparks.org. Age: 8Y-12Y Fee: $5
(FREE) COUNTRY FAIR Sat. Sep 24, 10:00 am-5:00 pm Q156 Sun. Sep 25, 12:00-5:00 pm Q351 CARRIAGE HILL METROPARK, Carriage Hill Historical Farm, 7850 E. Shull Rd. As the fall harvest approaches, so does the tradition of the country fair. From agricultural demonstrations to a pie-baking competition, all the sights and sounds of an 1880s country fair will be recreated. See various living history talks and demonstrations that present a vibrant picture of our past. No registration required. Age: All ages
MOUNTAIN BIKING (FREE) TRY MOUNTAIN BIKING Tue. Sep 6, 4:00-7:00 pm Q136 HUFFMAN METROPARK, MoMBA, 4485 Union Rd. Is not owning a mountain bike keeping you from trying it? If so, then come out to MoMBA and borrow one of our bikes to ride for a lap or two. Bikes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Youth younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Helmets are mandatory and provided with bike. Registration is requested and available online at metroparks.org, walk-ins welcome. Age: All ages
NATURE APPRECIATION (FREE) SPACE TRAVELER Mon. Oct 10, 3:30-4:30 pm R98 SUGARCREEK METROPARK, Shelter: Trailside, 4178 Conference Rd. Travel to the moon, planets, and far beyond our galaxy as we build spaceships made from items found in nature, and blast off into our imagination. Registration is requested, walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-6Y (FREE)
PARKING DAY Fri. Sep 16, 9:00 am-5:00 pm Q118 OFFSITE, PARK(ing) Day is an annual, worldwide event that transforms metered parking spots into temporary parks for the public good. MetroParks provides plants, Green Velvet Sod Farms provides sod, and Garden Station organizes volunteers to set up and staff the parks in the Oregon District and other downtown locations. No registration required. Contact lbeachdell@metroparks.org for details. Age: All ages
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GET OUTSIDE BOOK CLUB STORYTIME Five Rivers MetroParks and the Dayton Metro Library have designed a special reading club for preschoolers! Storytimes at your local library and in the parks will get you and your child excited for nature adventures in your backyard. Visit www.metroparks.org/bookclub.
(FREE) SPIDERS Thu. Sep 8, 10:00-11:00 am Q133 POSSUM CREEK METROPARK, Shelter: Prairie Dock/Parking Lot, 4730 Frytown Rd. Join Ms. Amanda for Spider Storytime! Afterwards we will go on a spider hunt. Registration is requested and available online, walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-6Y
(FREE) NIGHTTIME EXPLORATION Fri. Sep 16, 8:00-9:00 pm Q134 HILLS & DALES METROPARK, Shelter: Paw Paw/Parking Lot, 100 Deep Hollow Rd. Encounter the mysteries of the night while reading stories with Dayton Metro Librarians and searching for owls. Registration is requested and available online, walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-6Y
(FREE) HIDDEN NATURE Wed. Sep 21, 1:30-2:30 pm Q135 RIVERSCAPE METROPARK, RiverScape Pavilion, 237 E. Monument Ave. Learn about what kinds of animals can be found in the middle of a city while reading books with a Dayton Metro Librarian. Nature may be closer than you think! Registration is requested and available online, walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-6Y
(FREE) POND EXPLORATION Mon. Sep 26, 12:30-1:30 pm Q137 TAYLORSVILLE METROPARK, Shelter: Hilltop /Sledding Hill/Parking Lot, 1200 Brown School Rd. Read books with a Dayton Metro Librarian and learn all about pond life with stories and a craft. Later, explore the pond in search of life! Registration is requested and available online, walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-6Y
(FREE) NATURE PLAY Tue. Oct 4, 2:30-3:30 pm R97 ENGLEWOOD METROPARK, Shelter: Patty/East Park, 4361 National Rd. Read stories of nature exploration, then embark on your own adventures of discovering life and imagination. Registration is requested and available online, walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-6Y OUTDOOR PLAY
(FREE) BIRDS STORY TIME Wed. Sep 7, 10:00-11:00 am Q231 WEGERZYN GARDENS METROPARK, Skeeter’s Shelter , 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Wed. Sep 21, 10:00-11:00 am Q232 COX ARBORETUM METROPARK, Edible Landscape Garden/Pavilion, 6733 Springboro Pk. September is the month for a story about birds. After we’ve read the story, we’ll go on a garden adventure to see the different types of birds that live in the garden and the trees nearby. This program is designed for toddlers and their caregivers. Registration is requested and available online, walk-ins welcome. Age: 2Y-5Y
(FREE) FARM STORYTIME Thu. Sep 29, 11:00 am-12:00 pm Q239 Thu. Oct 6, 10:00-11:00 am O265 POSSUM CREEK METROPARK, Possum Creek Education Building, 4790 Frytown Rd. Join us for a story and adventure or activity around the farm. This program is designed for preschoolers and their caregivers. Registration is requested and available online, walk-ins welcome. Age: 3Y-5Y
(FREE) WAGNER SUBARU OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE Sat. Oct 1, 11:00 am-10:00 pm R112 Sun. Oct 2, 11:00 am-4:00 pm EASTWOOD METROPARK, Eastwood Park, 1385 Harshman Rd. The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience has grown beyond just gear and exploded into one of the largest festivals celebrating the outdoor lifestyle in the Midwest. This multi-day event, features camping, competitions, live music, a youth adventure zone, high-flying demos, a beer garden and much more! Registration requested, walk-ins welcome. www.metroparks.org/outdoorx.
