New Year’s Day Snowshoe Hike, Deer Watch: Family Activities at Three Rivers Parks

Information provided by Three Rivers Park District.

To register for the following activities, call 763-559-6700 and reference the activity number or visit the Three Rivers Park District website.

Free Family Funday: Turtles

Sunday, Dec. 30, from 1-3 p.m., at Kroening Interpretive Center, North Mississippi Regional Park, Brooklyn Center. Meet the nature center turtles. Find out what they eat and how they move. This program is free and open to all ages.

Know Your Tracks

Sunday, Dec. 30, from 1-4 p.m., at Eastman Nature Center, in Elm Creek Park Reserve, Dayton. Learn some common animal tracks and what stories are told by tracks. Make an ink-stamp track story of your own. This program is free and open to all ages.

Backyard Birds

Sunday, Dec. 30, from 3-4 p.m., at Richardson Nature Center, in Hyland Lake Park Reserve, Bloomington. Drop in anytime. Stop by to see what’s visiting our backyard birdfeeders and our heated pond. Discover the many animals that find this a great place to find food. Learn about how you can turn your backyard or deck into a winter feeding station. Bring a camera. This program is free and open to all ages.

New Year’s Day Snowshoe Hike

Tuesday, Jan. 1, from 1-3 p.m., at Kroening Interpretive Center, North Mississippi Regional Park, Brooklyn Center. Start out 2013 on the right foot — put a snowshoe on it! Snowshoe through the park and view the winter Mississippi. Warm up afterwards with cocoa and bird and squirrel watching. We will take a winter hike if there is not enough snow for snowshoeing. Snowshoes are provided or bring your own. Cost is $5 and reservations are required. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation and reference activity number #116901-24. This program is for ages 8+.

Family Clay for Grandparent and Child: Art of the Season

Wednesday, Jan. 2, from 10-11:30 a.m., at Silverwood Park, St. Anthony. We’ll explore seasonal holidays and make projects inspired by nature for you to give or keep. You and your grandparent will work together making a project. At the end of each class, you’ll paint your project with bright colors. Dress for mess. Sign up for one class or all of “Art of the Season” as we celebrate with clay. Cost is $15 per child per session and reservations are required. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation and reference activity number #137803-04. This program is for ages 3-6.

Snowshoeing in the Park

Saturday, Jan. 5, from 1-3 p.m., at Kroening Interpretive Center, North Mississippi Regional Park, Brooklyn Center. Discover the origin of snowshoeing, then hike through prairie and woodlands on snowshoes with a naturalist. Warm up by a bonfire. Beginners are welcome. Snowshoes and refreshments are provided. Cost is $5 and reservations are required. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation and reference activity number #116901-25. This program is for ages 10+.

Deer Watch

Saturday, Jan. 5, from 4-5 p.m., at Eastman Nature Center, in Elm Creek Park Reserve, Maple Grove. Watch for deer in the nature center’s wildlife area. Observe the subtle and not-so-subtle behaviors deer use to communicate to each other. Touch and look at deer antlers and pelts. See these graceful animals up close. Be prompt and quiet as you enter the nature center so the deer are not frightened away. This program is free and open to all ages.

Paper Plus Recycled Wrapping

Bring in used holiday wrapping paper and recycle it into a unique work of handmade paper art. PAPER+ is a new, once-a-month workshop for kids+ their adult partner, each with a creative way of using handmade paper in artwork. Sign up for one workshop or the entire series. Lunch is included with the program and provided by the Silverwood Cafe. PAPER+ meets on Saturday, Jan. 5, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Silverwood Park, St. Anthony.  Cost is $45 per adult/child pair and reservations are required by Jan. 1. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation and reference activity number #137803-07. This program is for ages 5+.

Winter Cabin Camping

Enjoy a rustic log cabin with up to seven other family members or friends from 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, through 2 p.m. Sunday Jan. 6, at Baker Near-Wilderness Settlement, Medina. Join in winter outdoor education programs such as snowshoeing, winter survival or winter ecology, or explore and relax on your own. Meals are on your own, cooked at outdoor grill sites. Advice, firewood, cooking/eating utensils and some beverages are provided. Fee is per cabin. Maximum two cabins. Cost is $115 per cabin and reservations are required. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation.