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.
When: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Where: Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, Habitat Hollow, Mudpies Education Room (Lower Level)
Member price: Each class costs $8 per child for members, $8 per child + daily admission for each accompanying non-member adult(s). Click here to see daily admission prices.
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.
April Schedule |
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Tuesday, April 2Theme: Frogs, Session 1What’s an amphibian? Leap into this lesson about frogs and other amphibians. |
Thursday, April 4Theme: Frogs, Session 2How do frogs jump so far? Come learn about how frogs survive in their habitat! |
Tuesday, April 9Theme: Life Cycles, Session 1What happens after a caterpillar turns into a chrysalis? Come learn about butterfly life cycles! |
Thursday, April 11Theme: Life Cycles, Session 2How do eggs turn into tadpoles? How do tadpoles turn into frogs? Learn about the circle of life with this life cycle lesson! |
Tuesday, April 16Theme: Eggs, Session 1Do all bird eggs look the same? Come investigate bird eggs and their nests! |
Thursday, April 18Theme: Eggs, Session 2Do different birds build different nests? |
Tuesday, April 23Theme: Sounds of Nature, Session 1Have you ever stopped and listened while walking on a trail? Come explore the sounds of nature during this lesson! |
Thursday, April 25Theme: Sounds of Nature, Session 2What animals make the loudest noise? The quietest? Come learn about animal noises and what we hear in the Forest! |
Tuesday, April 30Theme: Snakes, Session 1Come learn about the snakes of Fontenelle Forest and what makes them snakes! |
Thursday, May 2Theme: Snakes, Session 2What makes snakes special? Come learn about snake sheds, scales, and more! |
Register for April Classes
May Schedule |
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Tuesday, May 7Theme: Bees, Session 1What are pollinators? Learn how insects (and more) move pollen from flower to flower! |
Thursday, May 9Theme: Bees, Session 2Are bees pollinators? Come learn about different types of pollinators and search for them at the Forest! |
Tuesday, May 14Theme: Wetlands, Session 1What’s a wetland? Come learn about this wet and wild habitat! |
Thursday, May 16Theme: Wetlands, Session 2Come discover what lives in a wetland as we search “Around the Pond.” |
Tuesday, May 21Theme: Happy Summer!Come join us for our summer sendoff! We’ll have an end of the year party and enjoy the beautiful summer weather together! |
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Register for May Classes
Note: Mudpies follows the Bellevue Public Schools calendar and will not run during summer break.
August Schedule |
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Tuesday, August 27Theme: Salamanders, Session 1What is a salamander? Fish, reptile, amphibian? Come learn about salamanders and what makes them amphibians! |
Thursday, August 29Theme: 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 3Theme: Beavers, Session 1Discover how beavers build and live in their lodges and dams as we learn about these engineers of the wetlands! |
Thursday, September 5Theme: Beavers, Session 2Come learn about the tools beavers use to engineer their environment! These tools aren’t hammers and nails, but teeth and tails! |
Tuesday, September 10Theme: Weather, Session 1What makes thunder? Lightning? Tornadoes? Come learn about storms as we explore weather this week! |
Thursday, September 12Theme: Weather, Session 2What makes the weather? Come learn about how seasons affect weather! |
Tuesday, September 17Theme: Insects, Session 1What makes up an insect? Come learn about heads, thoraxes, abdomens, and more as we learn about insect body parts! |
Thursday, September 19Theme: 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 24Theme: Sense of Taste, Session 1How does a butterfly eat? Come learn about butterfly proboscis and how they use them to eat from flowers! |
Thursday, September 26Theme: Sense of Taste, Session 2Does a butterfly taste with its’ tongue? Or something else? Come learn about butterfly feet and the weird ways animals taste their food! |
Register for September Classes
October Schedule |
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Tuesday, October 1Theme: Spiders, Session 1How do spiders make a web? Come learn about how spiders are different than insects and how they make their homes! |
Thursday, October 3Theme: Spiders, Session 2Come learn about spider webs and all the different ways they engineer homes and traps with their silk! |
Tuesday, October 8Theme: Hawks, Session 1What makes hawks different from songbirds? Come learn about all the features that make these birds special! |
Thursday, October 10Theme: Hawks, Session 2How do hawks survive the winter? Come learn about how hawks migrate and how far they go! |
Tuesday, October 15Theme: Bats, Session 1Do bats turn into vampires? Or drink blood? Come discover something new about bats and learn about their 6th sense – echolocation! |
Thursday, October 17Theme: Bats, Session 2How do bats find their food in the dark? Or avoid crashing into trees? Get ready for a batty good time as we explore these creatures of the night! |
Tuesday, October 22Theme: 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 24Theme: Leaves & colors, Session 2Come learn about fall leaves and why they change colors as we examine the changing seasons! |
Tuesday, October 29Theme: BiomesExplore the world with us today as we investigate biomes, from oceans to prairies to rainforests! |
Thursday, October 31Theme: HalloweenFeeling spooky? Come learn about bats, spiders, snakes, and more during some Halloween-themed mythbusting! |
Register for October Classes
November Schedule |
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Tuesday, November 5Theme: Woodpeckers, Session 1Investigate these winged engineers that make the Forest trees their home! Come learn about woodpecker nests and how they’re made! |
Thursday, November 7Theme: Woodpeckers, Session 2Join us for a peck-tacular day of Mudpies as we explore the world of woodpeckers, from how they drum on trees to the different species we have at the Forest. |
Tuesday, November 12Theme: Bullsnakes, Session 1Come learn what makes up a snake, from their tongues to the tips of their tails! |
Thursday, November 14Theme: Bullsnakes, Session 2Join us as we learn about the largest snake in Nebraska and meet the Forest’s resident bullsnake! |
Tuesday, November 19Theme: 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, November 21Theme: Sense of Smell, Session 2Come explore turkey vultures. Meet a resident turkey vulture and learn about their (usually) smelly adaptations! |
Tuesday, November 26Theme: Turkeys, Session 1Learn about the largest (and noisiest!) bird at Fontenelle Forest just in time for turkey day! |
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Register for November Classes
December Schedule |
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Tuesday, December 3Theme: Squirrels, Session 1Explore some of the most unexpected engineers of the animal kingdom – squirrels! Come learn how they engineer their homes! |
Thursday, December 5Theme: 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 10Theme: Animal Coverings, Session 1Fur, feathers, and scales, oh my! Come learn about animal coverings and how they help animals survive! |
Thursday, December 12Theme: 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 17Theme: Happy Holidays!, Session 1Come learn about the shortest day of the year and other exciting holiday celebrations around the world! |
Thursday, December 19Theme: Happy Holidays!, Session 2How do you celebrate the holidays? Join us as we explore holiday celebrations, from your neighborhood to people across the world. |
Register for December Classes