Mudpies
December 20 @ 9:30 am - 11:00 am
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Tuesday, repeating until December 20, 2022
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Thursday, repeating until December 15, 2022
Mudpies is a structured program for children ages 3-5 that encourages exploration of nature and interaction between a child and their caregiver. Each week, a natural science topic is explored through crafts, outdoor exploration, songs, stories, hikes and more!
Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Forest
Looking for a unique setting in which to have fun with your child while learning about the natural world?
Mudpies is a structured program for children ages 3-5 that encourages exploration of nature and interaction between a child and their caregiver. Each week, a natural science theme is explored through crafts, outdoor exploration, songs, stories, hikes and more! Each session will feature a different craft or activity, along with storytime and a guided hike. Come discover the joy of sharing nature with your child!
This program is for children ages 3-5 accompanied by a caregiver. One adult is required for every two children.
When: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Where: Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, Habitat Hollow, *New* Mudpies Education Room (Lower Level)
Member price: $5 per child. Members must sign in to receive discount. Non-member price: $5 per child + daily admission for each accompanying adult(s).
Pre-registration is required. Class size is limited to 15 students.
Registration is available by individual session – OR – you can also sign up for a full month of Mudpies at a time (a new feature this year)!
Mudpies will run following the Bellevue Public Schools calendar and will not run during the summer.
Please see our most recent COVID-19 guidelines here.
August Schedule |
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Tuesday, August 30Theme: Salamanders, Session 1What is a salamander? Fish, reptile, amphibian? Come learn about salamanders and what makes them amphibians! |
Thursday, September 1Theme: Salamanders, Session 2Come explore salamanders and the wetlands they make their home in! |
Register for August Classes
September Schedule |
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Tuesday, September 6Theme: Beavers, Session 1Discover how beavers build and live in their lodges and dams as we learn about these engineers of the wetlands! |
Thursday, September 8Theme: Beavers, Session 2Learn about the tools beavers use to engineer their environment! These tools aren’t hammers and nails, but teeth and tails! |
Tuesday, September 13Theme: Weather, Session 1What makes thunder? Lightning? Tornadoes? Learn about storms as we explore weather this week! |
Thursday, September 15Theme: Weather, Session 2What makes the weather? Come learn about how seasons affect weather! |
Tuesday, September 20Theme: Insects, Session 1What makes up an insect? Come learn about heads, thoraxes, abdomens, and more as we learn about insect body parts! |
Thursday, September 22Theme: Insects, Session 2How many types of insects can we find in Fontenelle Forest? Grab your nets and bug catches and come explore the insects of the Forest! |
Tuesday, September 27Theme: Sense of Taste, Session 1How does a butterfly eat? Join us as we learn about butterfly proboscis and how they use them to eat from flowers! |
Thursday, September 29Theme: Sense of Taste, Session 2Does a butterfly taste with its’ tongue? Or something else? Learn about butterfly feet and the weird ways animals taste their food! |
Register for September Classes
October Schedule |
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Tuesday, October 4Theme: Spiders, Session 1How do spiders make a web? Discover how spiders are different than insects and how they make their homes! |
Thursday, October 6Theme: Spiders, Session 2Come learn about spider webs and all the different ways they engineer homes and traps with their silk! |
Tuesday, October 11Theme: Leaves & colors, Session 1What happens when fall rolls around? What are some signs that summer is ending and fall is here? Come learn about the changing seasons! |
Thursday, October 13Theme: Leaves & colors, Session 2Learn about fall leaves and why they change colors as we examine the changing seasons! |
Tuesday, October 18Theme: Hawks, Session 1What makes hawks different from songbirds? Come learn about all the features that make these birds special! |
Thursday, October 20Theme: Hawks, Session 2How do hawks survive the winter? Discover how hawks migrate and how far they go! |
Tuesday, October 25Theme: Echolocation, Session 1Do bats turn into vampires? Or drink blood? Come discover something new about bats and learn about their 6th sense – echolocation! |
Thursday, October 27Theme: Echolocation, Session 2How do bats find their food in the dark? Or avoid crashing into trees? Come learn about echolocation and the other senses these animals have! |
Register for October Classes
November Schedule |
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Tuesday, November 1Theme: HalloweenFeeling spooky? Come learn about bats, spiders, snakes, and more during some Halloween-themed myth-busting! |
Thursday, November 3Theme: WoodpeckersInvestigate these winged engineers that make the Forest trees their home! Come learn about woodpecker nests and how they’re made! |
Tuesday, November 8Theme: Enthusiastic Eaters, Session 1From storing nuts in a tree, caching food under bark, to eating more to fatten up, we’ll learn about all the different ways that animals get ready for winter! |
Thursday, November 10Theme: Enthusiastic Eaters, Session 2Come learn about nuthatches, squirrels, gophers, and more animals that fatten themselves up or store food for winter! |
Tuesday, November 15Theme: Bullsnakes, Session 1Come learn what makes up a snake, from their tongues to the tips of their tails! |
Thursday, November 17Theme: Bullsnakes, Session 2Join us as we learn about the largest snake in Nebraska and meet the Forest’s resident bullsnake! |
Tuesday, November 22Theme: TurkeysLearn about the largest (and noisiest!) bird at Fontenelle Forest just in time for turkey day! |
Thursday, November 4No Class
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Tuesday, November 29Theme: Sense of Smell, Session 1How do turkey vultures find the carrion that they eat? With their nose, of course! Come learn about nature’s scavengers and their strongest sense! |
Thursday, December 1Theme: Sense of Smell, Session 2Come explore turkey vultures. Meet a resident turkey vulture and learn about their (usually) smelly adaptations! |
Register for November Classes
December Schedule |
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Tuesday, December 6Theme: Squirrels, Session 1Explore some of the most unexpected engineers of the animal kingdom – squirrels! Come learn how they engineer their homes! |
Thursday, December 8Theme: Squirrels, Session 2Discover something new about the fluffy critters you find in your backyard! Learn about how squirrels engineer the ecosystems they live in! |
Tuesday, December 13Theme: Animal Coverings, Session 1Fur, feathers, and scales, oh my! Come learn about animal coverings and how they help animals survive! |
Thursday, December 15Theme: Animal Coverings, Session 2Why don’t fish have fur? Why don’t foxes need scales? Does a frog need feathers? Learn about animal coverings and how they help animals adapt to their environment! |
Tuesday, December 20Theme: Happy Holidays!Come learn about the shortest day of the year and other exciting holiday celebrations around the world! |
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Register for December Classes
