Weekend Programs

Weekend Programs

Click on the each program title to register.  Programs with an (*) are eligible for a member discount (Pacesetters and above). 

Youth and Family Programs

*Holidays With Hoot – A great family event! – SOLD OUT!
Irvine Nature Center presents HOLIDAYS WITH HOOT – a fun, nature-based holiday event. Celebrate the season at this delightful morning of family activities. Meet our animal ambassador owls and learn more about these amazing birds up close. Create crafts and play games inspired by nature. Enjoy hot chocolate around a campfire and get pictures with Irvine’s special ambassador: HOOT!

Instructors: Irvine’s Environmental Educators
Saturday, December 10th
10:00AM – 12:00PM
Early Bird Price: $10 per child (or $15 per child, if purchased after 12/1/22) Adults and children under 2 are FREE

*Winter Woods Adventure
Dress for the weather and have fun as a family as we explore the winter world using all our senses.  Look for animal homes, find out who is the best at seeing animals hidden along the trail and, if we are lucky, read track stories in the snow. Finish by warming up with a story and s’mores around the campfire. Recommended for Families with Children 4+

Instructors: Dr. Clare Walker
Sunday, January 29th
2:00 – 3:30PM
Cost: $7 per individual or $20 per family

*Maple Magic – There’s Magic in our Trees!
Join Irvine’s naturalists in a quest to make delicious maple syrup. Begin with a short walk in the deciduous forest, learn to identify maple trees, and try your hand at tapping a tree to collect its sugary sap. Then gather round the fire to see how we convert the sticky fluid into syrup. You’ll even get a taste of this liquid gold as a reward for all the hard work. Great for all ages! Four public sessions to choose from.

Instructor: Irvine Naturalists
Saturday, February 11th and Sunday, February 19th – four sessions to choose from
Cost: $10/participant (children under 3 are free)
Preregistration encouraged. 

*Owl Prowl
Irvine’s mix of woods, meadows, and wetlands makes ideal habitat for several species of owls, and clear winter nights are the perfect time to listen for them. Join Irvine naturalists for an evening of learning about these awesome creatures of the night. Meet a few of Irvine’s nocturnal Animal Ambassadors, learn about their natural history and calls, then hit the trails for a chance to hear them in the wild. It promises to be a hoot! Recommended for Families with Children 8+

Instructors: Brian Rollfinke and Paige Vance
Friday, March 10th
7:00 – 8:30PM
Cost: $12 per participant

*Animal CSI: Critter Scene Investigation – A Drop Off Program
Mysterious things have been spotted on the trails at Irvine. A pile of feathers, a fluff of fur, mysterious tracks….what is going on? Put your observation skills to the test as we study a ‘critter crime’ scene in the woods to try to answer the questions: what happened and who dunnit?! Learn about the signs animals leave behind as we learn how to identify tracks and scat to solve the riddle of the Mystery on the Trails. Drop off program for Children 7-12. 

Instructors: Dr. Clare Walker, Senior Naturalist
Saturday, March 25th
10:00AM – 12:00PM
Cost: $20 per participant
Pre-registration Required.