Please note: The schedule below is for 2024. The Nature In Your Neighborhood schedule for 2025 will be released in Spring 2025. Please feel free to look below for an idea of what to expect for this summer program!
This program brings free, family-friendly fun to parks across the city! Beginning on June 4 and continuing on weekdays until August 9, these activities offer a range of experiences that focus on connecting with nature and learning about our environment. Together, we'll create art with natural pigments, enjoy storytelling sessions, discover local plants and wildlife, and more! These events are designed to accommodate a wide age range and are suitable for children from K-12th grade. Adults are also welcome!
Circle of Life – Mondays, 10 a.m. – noon
Explore the interconnected wonders of nature where wildlife, birds, and fungi reveal their secrets through engaging, hands-on adventures!
- June 10 | Amazing Adaptations at Castlewood Park
- June 17 | Birds of a Feather at Meadowthorpe Park
- June 24 | Fungi Foray: A Park Exploration at Constitution Park
- July 1| Amazing Adaptations at Charles Young Park
- July 8 | Birds of a Feather at Highlands Park
- July 15 | Fungi Foray: A Park Exploration at Dogwood Park
- July 22 | Amazing Adaptations at Constitution Park
- July 29 | Birds of a Feather at Castlewood Park
- Aug. 5 | Fungi Foray: A Park Exploration at Southland Park
Amazing Adaptations – Meet some neat creatures living in the park and learn about their habitats, life cycles, and survival strategies!
Birds of a Feather – Stop. Listen. Look, a bird! Join us as we look for local birds, learn bird calls, and craft binoculars to take home!
Fungi Foray: A Park Exploration – Uncover the hidden world of fungi, marvel at the diversity of mushrooms and lichen, and explore how humans cultivate these fascinating organisms!
Earth Lab – Tuesdays, 10 a.m. – noon
Embrace your inner scientist as we experiment with solar power, unearth Lexington’s geological mysteries, and more! Get hands-on experience with scientific tools and leave with a deeper understanding of the unique environment around us.
- June 4 | A Drop of Water at Dogwood Park
- June 11 | Geocaching at Charles Young Park
- June 18 | Prism Pal at Valley Park
- June 25 | Solar Snacks at Northeastern Park
- July 2 | A Drop of Water at Southland Park
- July 9 | Geocaching at Castlewood Park
- July 16 | Prism Pal at Meadowthorpe Park
- July 23 | Solar Snacks at Charles Young Park
- July 30 | A Drop of Water at Gardenside Park
- Aug. 6 | Geocaching at Douglass Park
A Drop of Water – Water is essential to live in a healthy ecosystem. Join us to learn about the water cycle, investigate the waters in the park, and learn by playing about maintaining fish populations.
Geocaching – Let’s go on a treasure hunt to explore the park, learn about Lexington’s geology, and improve our navigation skills using the Geocaching app!
Prism Pal – Have you ever wondered how rainbows form in the sky? Let’s make our own spectroscopes to explore the science behind rainbows and solve this mystery!
Solar Snacks – Learn how to harness the Sun's power as we cook up a tasty treat in our very own solar ovens!
Garden Guild – Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – noon
Follow the journey of your food from seed to table! Come get your hands dirty as we dig into the summer season and learn how to plant a garden that benefits both you and the environment.
- June 5 | Pollinators & Other Bug at Coolavin Park
- June 12 | Seeds to Fruit: Exploring the Life Cycle of Plants at Kenwick Park
- June 19 | No Programming
- June 26 | Pollinators & Other Bug Friends at Duncan Park
- July 3 | Seeds to Fruit: Exploring the Life Cycle of Plants at Duncan Park
- July 10 | Wormy Wednesdays at Gardenside Park
- July 17 | Pollinators & Other Bug Friends at Douglass Park
- July 24 | Seeds to Fruit: Exploring the Life Cycle of Plants at Northeastern Park
- July 31 | Wormy Wednesdays at Coolavin Park
- Aug. 7 | Pollinators & Other Bug at Meadowthorpe Park
Pollinators & Other Bug Friends – Craft a bug hotel to provide a home for the beneficial insects in your garden while learning about Lexington's pollinators and pests!
Seeds to Fruit: Exploring the Life Cycle of Plants – Learn how plants grow from tiny seeds into tasty fruit! We will explore the differences in seeds, learn some seed vocabulary, and learn the life a plant must live to grow a new seed.
Wormy Wednesdays – Transform food scraps into nutrient-rich soil for your garden in this vermicompost workshop, and take home your wormery to observe the process in action!
Nature Crafts – Thursdays, 10 a.m. – noon
Let nature be your muse as we paint with foraged pigments, mold our own clay, and transform upcycled materials into beautiful works of art! Connect with Lexington through artistic expression, and take home unique creations that showcase your creativity.
- June 6 | Earthbenders at Northeastern Park
- June 13 | Little Worlds at Gardenside Park
- June 20 | Trash to Treasure at Douglass Park
- June 27 | Earthbenders at Coolavin Park
- July 4 | No Programming
- July 11 | Little Worlds at Duncan Park
- July 18 | Trash to Treasure at Coolavin Park
- July 25 | Earthbenders at Kenwick Park
- Aug. 1 | Little Worlds at Charles Young Park
- Aug. 8 | Trash to Treasure at Valley Park
Earthbenders – Learn how to process ordinary dirt into extraordinary pottery!
Little Worlds – Create a miniature version of your local park with recycled and natural materials to capture the magic of all its little worlds!
Trash to Treasure – Reduce, reuse and upcycle. Give dumpster-bound items new life as we explore different ways to reuse old clothes, plastic bags, newspapers and more!
People & Parks – Fridays, 10 a.m. – noon
Join us on an expedition through Lexington's parks as we explore the wonders of our local ecosystem and learn how to be good stewards to all of its inhabitants, from the towering trees to the fragrant flowers, chirping birds, and crawling critters!
- June 7 | Green Tales at Constitution Park
- June 14 | Park Palette at Highlands Park
- June 21 | Tree Huggers at Woodland Park
- June 28 | Green Tales at Dogwood Park
- July 5 | Park Palette at Kenwick Park
- July 12 | Tree Huggers at Valley Park
- July 19 | Green Tales at Woodland Park
- July 26 | Park Palette at Southland Park
- Aug. 2 | Tree Huggers at Highlands Park
- Aug. 9 | Green Tales at Duncan Park
Green Tales – Come take a stroll through the park to hear some local folklore and learn how to create your own nature stories!
Park Palette – Learn how to make art from the colors you find in rocks, plants, and soil!
Tree Huggers – Discover the beauty and importance of Lexington's trees while exploring the deep connections between humans and nature through fun, hands-on activities.
Special events – Saturdays, 7 – 9 p.m.
- June 15 | Bioluminescence! at Jacobson Park Playground
- July 20 | Animals at Night at Jacobson Park Playground
Animals at Night – Bats, owls, moths and more! Spend the evening with us learning about how animals live and thrive under the cloak of darkness.
Bioluminescence! – How do lightning bugs glow in the dark? Come learn about bioluminescence, the natural light produced by organisms, and explore its wonders firsthand at Jacobson Park.
Nature in Your Neighborhood Learning Series
To celebrate the wonderful engagement of Nature in Your Neighborhood, we're excited to announce the new Nature in Your Neighborhood (NIYN) Learning Series! As part of this program, children will decorate a leaf for our Community Tree with their art and a short note about what nature means to them. Those who complete the program will receive a prize pack at our end-of-summer party! The Community Tree will be displayed there to showcase everyone’s contributions.
Nature in Your Neighborhood Summer Send-off | Aug. 10
Join us in celebrating the third year of Nature in Your Neighborhood! We've loved learning, playing, and growing with you this summer. Come out to enjoy games, crafts, snacks, music, prizes, a bouncy house, and a surprise special guest! All ages are welcome.
August 10, 2024
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Dunbar Community Center
