Bauer Explorers (FOR 5-9YRS)- Monthly Enrichment Afternoons

If you are looking for single day classes for your homeschooler, Bauer Explorers is perfect! Join a small group of nature loving kids, as they learn through exploration, throughout Irvine’s 211 acres. Offered select Tuesdays throughout the year. Register for a specific date or sign up for the year-long series and save! Membership discounts apply! All classes are drop-off.

BAUER EXPLORERS (FOR 5-9YRS) – VIEW DATES & REGISTER

This 3 hour class is designed to connect children with seasonal nature study, creative arts and messy maths exploration. We promote respect for plants, animals, the land, and each other through a nurturing environment. Hikes, live animal encounters, and open-ended wild nature play are integral to our learning each session. Non-member price: $45/session  

• Sept. 10 – Wonderful Woodlands Who and what lives in the woods at Irvine? What do the woods look and feel like? Find out with our woodland scavenger hunt.
• Sept. 17 – Magic Meadow: Things with Wings Who lives in the meadow? How do meadow critters move? Learn about insects and important pollinators at one of our favorite meadows.
• Oct. 8 – Dirt Dwellers An afternoon well spent: digging in the dirt! Do you know how many different types of soils support our ecosystem? Please dress for the mucky fun and hands-on learning. 🙂
• Oct. 15 – Amazing Autumn What is a season? What does autumn look, sound, smell, feel, and taste like? Find fall colors, crunch leaves, and taste test a seasonal delight (apples)!
• Nov. 5 – Pumpkins: Oh My Gourd Explore the bounty of fall harvest in Maryland. Learn about the foods that animals and humans gather at this time of year.
• Nov. 12 – Nature’s Music What’s the difference between noise and music? Does nature have its own song?
• Dec. 3 – Animals on the Move What do animals do when it is cold outside? What is adaptation and migration? What kinds of animals migrate?
• Dec. 10 – Winter’s Nap It’s chilly! What do animals do when it gets cold?
• Jan. 14 – Over the Frozen Ground: Nature’s Engineers With birds’ nests, squirrel dreys, and animal dens as inspiration, we’ll spend the afternoon creating our own shelters or nests with nature’s own supplies.
• Feb. 11 – Ice and Snow: Beauty and Science! Today’s class will be snow much fun! We’ll conduct ice and snow experiments indoors and out, with snow cones for a tasty treat.
• Mar. 4 – Tapping for Sap Learn all about Maple Sugaring! We’ll explore the woodland trails and find tapped trees, tasting some fresh sap.
• Mar. 18 – Tasty Maple Sugaring Hike to our sugar shack to learn all about the syrup making steps.
• Apr. 22– Spring has Sprung! How can we tell spring is here?
• Apr. 29 – Tales and Scales Meet some of Irvine’s reptile and amphibian friends and hike to where they reside on property. Wear your boots to prepare for a wet exploration.
• May 6 – Time to Grow We’re growing future gardeners! Students will learn all about a plant life cycle and plant a seed to take home.
• May 13 – Stream Searching Investigate and learn in our wetland habitats!