Planning a Birthday Party?

Bring the kids and the cake to a fun-filled, creative party at the Nature Center. Thematic parties include a two-anda-half-hour room rental, party favors and 45 minutes of staff-led activities in our pavilion and on our trails.

Choose from the following themes:

Nature Detectives (Ages 3-7)

Play sensory guessing games, find what doesn’t belong on our “unnature” trail and follow clues to solve a mystery animal’s trail. Favors include a magnifying hand lens, a mini-notebook and a pencil. The birthday child receives an Earl the Squirrel stuffed toy.

Dinosaurs (Ages 3-9)

Uncover bones and shells like a paleontologist, and make fossil imprints in clay. Go on a dinosaur egg hunt that leads to a nest full of eggs. Favors include a dinosaur egg, a dinosaur tattoo and a fossil imprint. The birthday child receives a dinosaur coloring book or sticker book.

Nature Crafts (Ages 3-12)

Learn new skills and nature facts. Younger kids make bug boxes, rock insects, and wildlife masks/puppets. Older kids make leather crafts, bird feeders and beaded accessories.

How to Book

• Parties may be booked up to three months in advance.

• Weekend dates are limited and fill quickly.

• Consider a weekday afternoon or evening party.

• Maximum 15 children per party.

$225/RA Member, $250/Non-resident

For more info, please call 703-476-9689 and press 3 or email naturecenter@reston.org.

Nature Birthday Party Kits

For preschool and elementary aged children

$80 Small Kit (for up to 8 people)

$135 Regular Kit (for up to 16 people)

Order a Nature Fun Birthday Kit for pickup at the Walker Nature Center.

Babes In The Woods

Ages 18 months through 35 months. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Buzzing Bees

Flowers are blooming, and bees are gathering nectar and pollen. Get your own antennae and stingers, and fly like a bee. Make a bee craft and taste a honey treat. Look for bees buzzing around flowers. Register by July 6.

306111001 7/10

Mon 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Or 7/11

Tue 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Pony Barn Pavilion, Triple Crown Rd. & Steeplechase Dr. Ages 18-35 months $8 $10

Whose Hoof?

What do horses, deer and unicorns have in common? They all have hooved feet! See some large “horseshoes” at the Pony Barn pavilion. Make a footprint craft and use your imagination on a short “trot” through the woods. Register by August 3.

306111001 8/7

Mon 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Or 8/8

Tue 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Pony Barn Pavilion, Triple Crown Rd. & Steeplechase Dr. Ages 18-35 months $8 $10

Ants Go Marching

Why do ants always seem to be on the go? Follow a trail of ants and discover more about these curious insects. See if you’re as strong as an ant and make an ant craft. We won’t let them spoil our picnic!

Register by September 7.

306111001 9/11

Tue 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Or 9/12

Wed 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Pony Barn Pavilion, Triple Crown Rd. & Steeplechase Dr.

Ages 18-35 months $8 $10

Preschool Happenings

Ages 3 to 5 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Knee Deep in a Creek

Hot days are perfect for dipping your feet in cool water. Explore Snakeden Branch stream looking for frogs, minnows, and other creatures. Wear your wading shoes and clothes that can get dirty. Nets and buckets provided. Register by July 26.

306121008 7/29

Sat 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Ages 3-5 $6 $8

Animal PJ Party

Each kit contains naturethemed activities, craft supplies, goodie bags, party favors, and cute paper products (cups, plates, napkins) — plus a card, gift, and banner for the birthday child. Tons of fun and convenience packed in a reusable box.

Optional -Looking for a place for your party? Rent our room, pavilion or fire ring.

Wear your favorite pajamas and learn about what animals are active at night. Learn about owls, bats, coyotes, moths and more. Search for sleepy animals on the trail. Listen to animal sounds and touch coyote fur and owl feathers. Make a nocturnal animal craft. Register by August 23.

306121008 8/26

Sat 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Ages 3-5 $7 $9

Creepy Crawlies

What can you find under logs and rocks? How about down in the dirt? Explore the forest and search for crawling and wiggling critters like bugs, spiders, worms, and salamanders. Observe them under magnifying glasses. Create a unique craft. Register by September 13.

306121008

Adult Programs

Sunset Stand Up

Paddle Board

Dragonfly Class: An Introduction

Bird Walks

9/16

Sat 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Or 9/19

Tue 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Ages 3-5 $7 $9

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Ages 6 to 12. Drop off your child for these Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM), handson learning workshops that occur afterschool and on school closure dates.

STEAM Workshop — Wonders of Water

Use a watershed model to see how we are connected to water and how we can keep our aquatic ecosystems healthy. Walk to the stream and measure temperature, water velocity and other variables. Look for evidence of erosion and see what critters call the stream home. Make a unique watercolor painting. Register by September 22.

306131015

9/25

Fri 10:00 am -12:00 pm

Ages 6-12 $9 $11

Enjoy an evening discovering the fun of stand up paddle boarding on Lake Audubon. Join a naturalist and observe the beauty of the lake and wildlife from a new perspective. Paddle in the glow of sunset. Boats, safety equipment and instruction provided. Register by June 20.

206201007 6/23

Fri 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Lake Audubon Boat Ramp, 2070 Twin Branches Road

Ages 16-Adult $16.50 $22

Butterfly Class: An Introduction

Discover the colorful and diverse lives of Reston’s “flying flowers.” Learn to identify Reston’s common butterflies and get a basic introduction to their life history. Register by July 3.

306201205

Thu 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Walker Nature Center

Discover the fast and fascinating lives of Reston’s “flying dragons.” Learn to identify Reston’s common dragonflies and get a basic introduction to their bizarre behavior and complex history. Register by July 31.

306201205

8/3

Thu 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Adults Free

Dragonfly Count

Join us for the annual Dragonfly Count through Reston’s natural areas. Meet local dragonfly lovers, learn identification tips and have fun while collecting data on our fast-flying friends. Register by Aug. 2.

306201205

8/5

Sat 9:45 am-1:00 pm

Walker Nature Center

Adults. Registration requested. Walk-ins welcome. Beginning and expert birders are invited to search for birds in Reston’s natural areas.

Bird Walk: Walker Nature Center & Snakeden Stream Valley

206201002

6/25

Sun 7:30 am - 10:30 am

11450 Glade Drive

Bird Walk — Upper Glade Stream Valley

306201002

7/16

Sun 7:30 am - 10:30 am

Park at WNC Fire Ring, on Soapstone Drive between Glade Drive and Lawyers Road

Butterfly Count

Join us for the annual Butterfly Count through Reston’s natural areas. Meet fellow butterfly lovers, learn identification tips and have fun while collecting data on our fluttering friends. Data will be submitted to the North American Butterfly Association for their national Fourth of July Butterfly Count report. Register by July 5.

306201205 7/8

Sat 9:45 am - 1:00 pm

Walker Nature Center

Adults Free

Sunset Stand Up Paddle Board

Enjoy an evening discovering the fun of stand up paddle boarding on Lake Audubon. Join a naturalist and observe the beauty of the lake and wildlife from a new perspective. Paddle in the glow of sunset. Boats, safety equipment and instruction provided. Register by August 22.

306201007

8/24

Thu 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Lake Audubon Boat Ramp, 2070 Twin Branches Road

Ages 16-Adult $16.50 $22

Bird Walk- Buttermilk Creek Trail 306201002

8/13

Sun 7:30 am - 10:30 am

Park at Uplands Pool, 11032 Ring Road

Bird Walk — Lower Glade Stream Valley 306201002

9/17

7:30 am - 10:30 am

Park on Glade Drive near the intersection with Twin Branches Road

Brush Chipping

Drop off your brush and RA crews will chip it for use on RA open space. Branches should be less than 4 inches in diameter. No grass clippings, dirt, trash, paper, vines, thorns or other debris. Brush may be dropped off at the Central Services Facility (12250 Sunset Hills Road) at any time during the days listed. RA members only. No contractors.

Chipping Dates

July 15-16

August 19-20

September 16-17