Catch these Game and Parks education events in April

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission educators have scheduled interesting and engaging events for the curious in April. Here are several opportunities:

Little Saplings early childhood program presents Sprouting Seeds

The Little Saplings early childhood nature discovery program will have the program, Sprouting Seeds, at 9 a.m. April 6 at Schramm Education Center near Gretna.

Seeds are tough, but they also can be sticky, crunchy and fluffy. This program will examine different seeds and discuss how a plant starts its life from a seed.

This program, designed for children ages 2-5 and their adult caregiver, will bring nature themes to life through stories, sensory activities, crafts and outdoor exploration.

See the calendar event entry at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov for more information.

Nature Experience Learning Centers educator training: Life cycles

The Nature Experience Learning Center educator trainings are a series of short virtual educator workshops, each focusing on a different nature topic. The topic at 1 p.m. April 6 will be life cycles.

This workshop is for in-home and center childcare providers of children ages birth through 5. Fun activities will be included.

Visit the event listing at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov to register. For questions, email jamie.bachmann@nebraska.gov.

Invasive species educator workshop is April 12

Game and Parks is offering a free invasive species educator workshop for formal and nonformal educators at 6 p.m. April 12 at the Nebraska Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln.

Learn from Game and Parks’ aquatic invasive species program manager how invasive species affect Nebraska’s ecosystem.

Participants will receive an introductory knowledge of Nebraska invasive species, specific lesson plans geared toward Nebraska standards and invasive species, and additional invasive species resources.

The workshop is limited to 20 participants. Visit the event listing at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov for more information and to register.

Nature Nerd Night to feature Fantastic Fungi on April 19

In the Nebraska Nature Nerd Night virtual webinar Fantastic Fungi, outdoor educators will discuss why fungi are so important to us and the world in which we live. The free event starts at 7 p.m. Central time April 19.

Registration is required through the event listing at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov. Participants also may submit questions to be answered during the webinar while registering. For more information, contact monica.macoubrie@nebraska.gov or follow the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission or Nebraska Wildlife Education on Facebook.

Those unable to attend can view the recorded webinar on the Nebraska Game and Parks YouTube Education Channel.

The Nebraska Nature Nerd Night series, for curious adults, takes places on the third Tuesday of every month.

Homeschool Hike set for April 20 at Schramm Park SRA

Come to Schramm Park State Recreation Area near Gretna on April 20 for Homeschool Hikes, a nature exploration program for homeschool families.

On the third Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m., an outdoor educator leads a guided hike while participants ask questions, draw, observe and make discoveries in nature.

Visit the event listing at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov for more information and to register.