5 Reasons to Explore Nighttime Nature with Five Rivers MetroParks

5 Reasons to Explore Nighttime Nature with Five Rivers MetroParks

Visit Cox Arboretum MetroPark this Saturday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. for Nature at Night. This free, kid-friendly event is educational and entertaining, with guided night hikes, crafts, live animals and more.

“There are really unique opportunities to explore nature during nighttime hours,” said Five Rivers MetroParks outdoor education apprentice Chelsea Wallace. “While people may be naturally hesitant to explore the outdoors after the sun sets, experiencing nature after nightfall is a great way to learn something new.”

Here are five reasons to explore nighttime nature with Five Rivers MetroParks this Saturday:

1) Hidden nature: Experience Cox Arboretum MetroPark at night as nocturnal nature comes to life. Explore the sights and sounds of the grounds after sunset with your family in a safe environment.

2) Get your glow on: Challenge your kids to a round of glow-in-the-dark disc golf with MetroParks’ outdoor recreation team. Test your precision and skill as you try to send discs through the evening air and into baskets.

3) Make and take: Create a nature-themed craft with your family. Help your children make a suet feeder, pinecone owl or holiday décor to take home.

4) Learn something new: Join professional educators as they bust myths about bats and share information about nocturnal animals. Meet Five Rivers MetroParks’ Animal Ambassadors and learn about their habitats and behaviors. Get hands-on while dissecting an owl pellet, and then explore the global issue of light pollution.

5) Battle “bump in the night” fears: Embark on a night hike with your family through the forests of Cox Arboretum MetroPark. Guided by MetroParks’ naturalists, this all-ages hike will explore the misconceptions and fears of the dark. Challenge your family to see how many owls you can spot in the woods.

Nature at Night supports MetroParks’ Conservation Kids programming, which allows ages 3 through 13 to engage with nature while learning new things and having a blast. Children who participate in multiple Conservation Kids programs become environmental stewards who foster conservation awareness amongst peers and family.

Visit metroparks.org for more information about Conservation Kids and Cox Arboretum MetroPark.

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Cox Arboretum.

Cox Arboretum - This beautiful 189-acre facility is a special place for visitors to escape among trees, shrubs, specialty gardens, mature forests, and prairies.