Baltimore Woods Nature Center

The countdown to fun has begun! We're looking for a few more adventurous kids to join us at Baltimore Woods! 5 spots left for kindergarten and first graders at Day Camp next Monday, January 18th! Registration ends Wednesday, January 13 at midnight. ... 4 spots left for kids ages 5-13 in our Trail School Explorations program starting this Thursday, January 14th! Registration ends Wednesday, January 13 at midnight. 3-2-1...Sign up for fun at baltimorewoods.org!

At first glance winter seems to be a time of very little color in nature but if you look around and really observe, there's still much life and color to discover! What colors have you found in nature recently? #discoverwinter #baltimorewoodsnaturecenter #cnywinter #observenature #gooutside #cnyhiking

Winter invigorates us! We might find ourselves seeking a cozy couch and blanket, insulated against cold ice and wind, gradually succumbing to the inertia of comfort and lethargy. Our brains get foggy and our muscles and joints stiffen. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to get outside. For your nature journal this week, we challenge you to get outside, wherever and however you can. Find something that renews your spirit or invigorates you. Maybe it’s rabbit tracks on your driveway, the rising sun, or a deep breath of crisp winter air. Whatever it is for you, make a quick sketch, then write that thing a thank you note for the restorative energy it brings you.

A break from school and time exploring, playing, and observing in nature is exactly what we offer at our nature day camps! Join us Monday January 18th 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. for a fun-filled day of hiking and playing in the Baltimore Woods camp tradition. Visit https://baltimorewoods.org/school-break-camps/ to learn more and sign up!

This afternoon we held a small reception for our featured artists in the 12th annual Drawing on Talent Members Art Exhibit. How wonderful to have a beautiful gallery on the walls of the Interpretive Center again after many months! You can also enjoy this gallery by reservation on Select Saturdays and Mondays now through December 14 or through an upcoming virtual gallery - visit www.baltimorewoods.org/art-gallery/ for more information. Thank you to our gallery coordinator Karen Jean Smith, to little cow ice cream for delicious treats, and to all our incredibly talented members for sharing their nature-inspired artwork with us!

Last chance alert! Sign up by 5 p.m. today to participate in our live streamed virtual Mindful Moments: Fall Meditation program with naturalist Becky tomorrow from 2-3 p.m. It's a perfect Saturday to sit outside, turn your face to the sun, and take a mindful moment for yourself! Get tuned into the rhythm of the season through guided movement and mindful meditation practices. Visit https://baltimorewoods.org//mindful-moments-a-virtual-liv/ to learn more and sign up!

Where have all the animals gone? Many may be getting ready for their migration south! Today we are checking in with naturalist Tom at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge to see how many of our waterfowl friends are preparing for their trip south.

Winter is coming! And nature’s ultimate food preppers are getting ready. Join us for our Fall Harvest program on November 12th 10-11 a.m. to go for a hike and look for evidence of animals stocking up and preparing for winter. Visit https://baltimorewoods.org/event/fall-harvest/ to learn more and sign up!

Ready for a break from school? A day at Baltimore Woods is just what you need! Join us for Saturday day camp on November 21st for a full-day of adventures outside, in the woods, hiking, exploring, and playing in the Baltimore Woods Nature Camp tradition. Visit https://baltimorewoods.org/school-break-camps/ to learn more and sign up!

Living through stressful times can take a toll on our bodies. Take some time for yourself to get grounded and mindful. Join us for our live streamed Mindful Moments: virtual Fall Meditation program with naturalist Becky. Take time to refresh, restore, and connect to nature through guided movement and mindful meditation practices. Visit https://baltimorewoods.org//mindful-moments-a-virtual-liv/ to learn more and sign up!

You might see them running around gathering nuts, or sitting in your bird feeder! Today Naturalist Lexi is talking with us about the red squirrel. Have you seen these ravenous mammals preparing for winter?

Who's ready for an adventure?! Join us for three weeks of exploration and discovery during Trail School at Baltimore Woods! Starting this Thursday from 1-4 p.m. we will practice blending into the forest, explore the beaver ponds, and venture to peanut hill! Visit https://baltimorewoods.org/trail-school-at-baltimore-woods/ to learn more and sign up!

You've got the kids, we'll bring the fun, and Mother Nature will do the rest! Join us for our four week Nature's Little Explorers: Discovering November series! We’ll discover the magic that is all around us and find the gifts of nature in our own backyards and at Baltimore Woods. This virtual series includes morning roundup meetings on Wednesdays and Fridays with our skilled naturalists, an activity packet with nature-themed activities, and an on-site activity set up just for you at Baltimore Woods! Visit https://baltimorewoods.org/discovering-november-series/ to learn more and sign up!

It’s the time of year we are noticing some animals flee south for warmer temperatures, some getting cozy to hibernate, and others preparing to tough out the cold. For the next two weeks we will be talking about the different ways animals, including humans, survive the cold winter months. This week for your nature journal we are going to focus on migration and hibernation. Head outside to a local park or even just your backyard. Take a few moments in silence to see if you not...ice any migration or hibernation activity. Maybe you’ll see a group of Canada Geese flying in their distinct "V" formation. Or maybe you’ll spot a groundhog eating in excess to prepare for hibernation or a woolly bear searching for a safe place to hunker down for the winter. Make note in your nature journal of any migration or hibernation activity you see. Put yourself in these animals' shoes, where would you migrate to spend the winter? How would you prepare for hibernation? See more

You need a break. Let nature help! Join us next Saturday, November 7th, from 2-3 p.m. for a live-streamed fall meditation experience. Get tuned into the rhythm of the season through guided movement and mindful meditation practices. Visit https://baltimorewoods.org//mindful-moments-a-virtual-liv/ to learn more and sign up!