Nature Programs • Register • View Cart •

Naturalist's Walk Join naturalists as we discover the beauty of spring. Bring binoculars, a camera, and a sense of adventure. Ages: All (children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult). Dates: March 1, April 5th Times: 10-11 AM Fee: free Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees     No Registration Required Naturalist's Walk  N/A N/A Sa  03/01/2025 - 04/05/2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Foyer $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res

Froggy Spring Fling Family Program “Froggie Spring Fling” Join us for an evening of searching for amphibians. A quick introduction is done inside about local amphibians and then we will search the property for a few. Bring a flashlight and wear closed toed shoes. Ages: 5-adult Children 13 and under must be accompanied by a registered adult. Date: April 18 Time: 7:00-8:30pm Fee: $5/ACC resident, $8/Non-ACC resident. All participants must register. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In Froggie Spring Fling  5y and up N/A F  04/18/2025 07:00 PM - 08:30 PM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Classroom #2 $5.00 Res, $8.00 Non-Res

Babies and Beasties Babies & Beasties Series Join us for a series of classes structured for toddlers and their guardians. Explore nature, learn about animals, go on hikes and make nature crafts. Ages: 18 months - 2 years, with accompanying adult. Dates: Winter: February 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th. Spring: May 1, 8, 15, 22 Time: 10:00 - 10:45am Fee: Preregistration required two days before start of series. $12/ACC resident; $18/Non-resident; SCNC Members get 10% discount Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In Babies and Beasties Spring 2025  1y 6m - 2y 11m N/A Th  05/01/2025 - 05/22/2025 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Classroom #1 $12.00 Res, $18.00 Non-Res An adult must attend with registered child.

Knee High Naturalists Knee High Naturalist Preschoolers will explore nature through hikes, animal encounters and hands on experiences. Ages: 3-5 years, with adult Program Date: January 8-February 19, every other Wednesday Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Fee: $12 ACC Resident, $18 Non-resident, 10% off for SCNC members. Preregistration required. Spring is a time to be outside. Join us every other Wednesday as we explore the property of Sandy Creek Nature Center. Ages: 3-5 years, with adult Program Date: March 5-May 14, every other Wednesday. Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Fee: $24 ACC Resident, $36 Non-resident, 10% discount for SCNC Member. Preregistration required online. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees     Registration Unavailable View Registration Eligibility Knee High Naturalists Spring Class  3y - 5y N/A W  03/05/2025 - 05/14/2025 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Full Classroom $24.00 Res, $36.00 Non-Res Adult must attend with child.

Journey Through the Stars Join us for our planetarium program in the Sky Center. We will journey through the night sky, exploring the great beyond. Ages: Ages 5 and up. Children under 13 must be accompanied by a registered adult. Anyone under 5 will not be admitted into the program. Children must be able to sit in the dark through the program portion. Pre-registration is required. Time: 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Fee: $5/ACC resident, $8/Non-resident. This program is not scholarship eligible. February 15 “Animals of the Sky” View a variety of animals found in the constellations. After the program, meet one of the resident animals. Dates: March 15 “Constellations from Around the Globe” When we look in the sky at night and recognize constellations, do people around the world see the same ones? We see Scorpius the Scorpion but if you lived in the Pacific Islands, you may see Maui’s Fishing Hook. We see the big dipper but in England the plough. Learn about constellations from around the world and compare myths of the star stories. April 19 “Spring Skies” We’ll discover what is visible this spring in the night sky. May 17 “Star Light, Star Bright” What is a star? We’ll talk about the stars closest to us and why we see different sizes and colors. After the show, we will demonstrate how stars make energy. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In April "Spring Skies"  5y and up N/A Sa  04/19/2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Planetarium $5.00 Res, $8.00 Non-Res All participants must register.     Registration Unavailable View Registration Eligibility March "Constellations from Around the Globe"  5y and up N/A Sa  03/15/2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Planetarium $5.00 Res, $8.00 Non-Res All participants must register.      Log In May "Star Light, Star Bright"  5y and up N/A Sa  05/17/2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Planetarium $5.00 Res, $8.00 Non-Res All participants must register.

Spring Break Family Fun Clarke County School District spring break week is April 7-11th. SCNC is offering a variety of activities for families to do while out of school. Some programs have a fee and require pre-registration from everyone attending. Spring Break Week of activities: Spend spring break week at SCNC! We have a variety of programs happening throughout the week. April 8: MicroHike This hike will focus our attention on the miniscule, often overlooked, life on a trail. Hand lenses will be provided. Time: 2:00-3:30pm Ages: 4-adult, children under 13 must be accompanied by a registered adult. All participants must register. Fee: Free April 9: Planetarium “Is there life out there” Is life on another planet possible? We’ll take a look at what it takes to support life on a planet and explore other celestial bodies that could potentially support life. Before the show, you can create an example of what life would look like in a different environment. Time: 10-11:30am Ages: 5-adult. children under 13 must be accompanied by a registered adult. All participants must register. Fee: $5/ACC, $8/Non-ACC. April 10: Land Art Join naturalist as we hike the trails and create natural art in the forest of the nature center Time: 10am-Noon Ages: 5-adult, children under 13 must be accompanied by a registered adult. All participants must register. Fee: $5/ACC, $8/Non-ACC April 11: Dino Open House Take a trip back to the time of dinosaurs. Dig for fossils, learn about different types of fossils, make a fossil to take home. Time: 2-3:30pm Ages: 3-adults, children under 13 must be accompanied by a registered adult. All participants must register. Fee: $3/ACC, $3/Non-ACC. Pre-registration required Do you want an activity to do while visiting the nature center but want to keep your own schedule? Check out a back pack, complete a scavenger hunt and make a craft in the activity cubbies in the classroom. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In "Is Life Out There" Planetarium Show  5y and up N/A W  04/09/2025 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Full Classroom $5.00 Res, $8.00 Non-Res      Log In Dinosaur Open House  3y and up N/A F  04/11/2025 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Full Classroom $3.00 Res, $3.00 Non-Res      Log In Land Art  4y and up N/A Th  04/10/2025 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Foyer $5.00 Res, $8.00 Non-Res      Log In Micro Hike  4y and up N/A Tu  04/08/2025 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM Sandy Creek Nature Center - Foyer $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res

ORLT Butterfly Walk Join retired UGA Entomology Professor Jim Porter on a butterfly walk in Tallassee Forest hosted by Oconee River Land Trust. We’ll start by taking a look at Professor Porter’s impressive butterfly collection and then head into the woods, walking towards the Middle Oconee River as we look for butterflies. Along the way we will gain an understanding of how conservation efforts in Tallassee Forest is helping protect biodiversity on this property. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In ORLT Butterfly Walk Tallassee Forest  10y - 100y N/A Sa  06/28/2025 09:00 AM - 11:15 AM Tallassee Forest $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res Wear clothes and shoes appropriate for hiking. Bring a water bottle. An adult must accompany minors.

Pop-up Trail Talk Come join Trails and Open Space staff and learn about our amazing trails and natural spaces right here in Athens! Keep on the lookout for upcoming dates and locations as we will pop-up anywhere we have a trail. In addition to meeting with our staff, we will have a small family-friendly activities, giveaways, and ways to get involved more involved on the trail. We will also often partner with local organizations to promote awareness of community resources. Note: If you register, you will get updates on our location via email a week or two in advance. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In Pop-up Trail Talk  N/A Sa  04/05/2025 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Southeast Clarke Park - Trails $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res      Log In Pop-up Trail Talk  N/A Sa  05/03/2025 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Walker Park - Trails $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res

First Saturday Park Play Join Leisure Services staff on the first Saturday of each month discovering the wonders of nature. Family groups will engage in hikes, games, and activities where we learn, build, and explore. Activities will rotate throughout the seasons. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In First Saturday Park Play @ Ben burton  5y - 11y N/A Sa  04/05/2025 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM Ben Burton Park - Field $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res Join Leisure Services staff on the first Saturday of each month discovering the wonders of nature. Family groups will engage in hikes, games, and activities where we learn, build, and explore. Activities will rotate throughout the seasons. All minors must      Log In First Saturday Park Play @ Ben burton  5y - 11y N/A Sa  05/03/2025 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM Ben Burton Park - Field $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res Join Leisure Services staff on the first Saturday of each month discovering the wonders of nature. Family groups will engage in hikes, games, and activities where we learn, build, and explore. Activities will rotate throughout the seasons. All minors must      Log In First Saturday Park Play @ Ben burton  5y - 11y N/A Sa  06/07/2025 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Ben Burton Park - Field $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res Join Leisure Services staff on the first Saturday of each month discovering the wonders of nature. Family groups will engage in hikes, games, and activities where we learn, build, and explore. Activities will rotate throughout the seasons. All minors must      Log In First Saturday Park Play @ Ben burton  5y - 11y N/A Sa  07/05/2025 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Ben Burton Park - Field $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res Join Leisure Services staff on the first Saturday of each month discovering the wonders of nature. Family groups will engage in hikes, games, and activities where we learn, build, and explore. Activities will rotate throughout the seasons. All minors must      Log In First Saturday Park Play @ Ben burton  5y - 11y N/A Sa  08/02/2025 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM Ben Burton Park - Field $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res Join Leisure Services staff on the first Saturday of each month discovering the wonders of nature. Family groups will engage in hikes, games, and activities where we learn, build, and explore. Activities will rotate throughout the seasons. All minors must

Fish On! Join Middle Oconee Parks staff as you learn how to make a traditional cane pole, spot different kinds of fish, and practice catch-and-release fishing, all while staying nice and dry. In this exciting game, you’ll use magnets instead of hooks, colorful paper fish instead of the real ones, and play on dry land instead of in the water. It’s a perfect way to discover the joys of fishing without getting messy! Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In Fish On!  5y - 11y N/A Sa  05/17/2025 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM Sandy Creek Park - Garden $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res There is a $2 per person fee to get into Sandy Creek Park. All minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Nature Play Day Nature Play Day is fun and educational outdoor program designed to connect children and families with the natural beauty of our local parks. This collaboration between Trails and Open Space and Middle Oconee River Parks offers a fun-filled morning of hands-on exploration, physical activity, and environmental learning. The event encourages children to engage in unstructured outdoor play while fostering a deep appreciation for nature. Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees      Log In Nature Play Day at Dudley Park  N/A Sa  07/12/2025 09:00 AM - 11:00 AM Dudley Park $0.00 Res, $0.00 Non-Res