There was so much snow in front of the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center this year that staff had a pool going about when the last bit of snow would disappear, winner got a jar a maple syrup. But all that snow is gone, the trees in nearby Sunfish Lake Park are starting to bud, and the SMINC staff turned their efforts to getting the park ready for Family Nature Day, on the first Saturday in June. The annual event at Lake Elmo’s Sunfish Lake Park always draws a good crowd, especially when the weather cooperates. Currently sponsored by the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center, the event this year featured several booths, or stations, lining the paths around the center offering fun and educational experiences for everyone. Family Nature Day is truly a family event. The stations placed all around the grounds were selected so that, no matter what your age or interest, you could find something to like. Kids were given a gift bag, which included interactive quiz sheets designed to familiarize them with that park—and there was a prize when they completed it! There was also the story walk, a series of signs taking visitors through the park as they read through a picture book. This spring’s Story Trail book was “Tap the Magic Tree” by Christie Matheson, and the title changes regularly. There is also a Messy Play station in an old canoe, for a little unstructured fun.
Grown-ups and kids can learn a lot about the wildlife and natural landscape in Sunfish Lake Park. One of the event’s stations was devoted to the park’s geology, so visitors could learn to identify the rocks around the lake and then go hunting. Another was devoted to the park’s prairie restoration project, with guided Walks through the 17-acre restored prairie section of the park. And you can count on stations devoted to raptor and mammal life, and to identifying bird life in the park.
One of the most visited attractions at this year’s family Nature Day was the SMINC’s Naturemobile, an old school bus converted into a travelling interpretive classroom. Like the Center itself, the Naturemobile has beautifully curated display cases inside, devoted to the lifecycle of birds, their wing and foot structure, nesting habits and more. The inside walls and ceiling have been painted to resemble a nearly 360 degree view of prairie and sky. Being mobile means the Naturemobile makes plenty of visits in the summer. Look for it at Oak Park Heights on June 20, Oakdale’s parade on June 22, and at Lake Elmo’s Night Out on August 1.
And it wouldn’t be Family Nature Day without animals. This year Tamarack Nature Center was on-hand with some happy reptiles and a red-tailed hawk who was very interested in the sparrows overhead.
If you missed this year’s Family Nature Day you can check us out next year, the first Saturday in June. But there are always all kinds of great things on offer at the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center. We still have openings in our summer camps, which range from week-long camps to our single-day Wonder Wednesday camps and feature topics that cater to kids of all ages. On weekends we regularly host free, Interpretive Drop-In events where you can learn all about flowers, or bees, or dragonflies, then take a hike in Sunfish Lake Park putting your new knowledge to work IDing plant and animal wildlife. Or you can stop by and check out our indoor apiary or any of our beautifully curated educational displays. (For a full list of camps, programs, and events, check out their website: https://sminc-lake-elmo.org/
And, of course, as you’re out and about keep an eye out for the Naturemobile.
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