Environmental education is an opportunity for people of all ages, backgrounds, and life experiences to make connections with nature, foster curiosity, and develop skills that will lead to a deeper understanding of the environment and why it matters. A wide variety of environmental education programs are offered at Minneapolis parks all year round, led by trained Naturalists who guide participants in finding joy in the natural environments all around us in Minneapolis.
Nature-based programming can be found in both regional and neighborhood parks across the city, with low-to-no cost programs offered for all ages and interests, there are environmental education opportunities to be found for everyone. Explore our programs below.
Learn and grow together with your little one while exploring and having fun outside with other children and their grownups. This outdoor exploration time offers opportunities for observing, following curiosity, and sensory investigation for ages 18 months to 4 years with an adult.
(Outdoor or at Indoor Playground Programs, depending on season)
A Neighborhood Naturalist will have a drop-in nature corner set up as part of the registration-based Indoor Playground program at a Recreation Center, or outside near the playground.
Come for a nature-packed Storytime at the Trailhead with a Garden Naturalist. Read stories, sing songs, and learn about nature in winter. Make a fun themed craft as a memory to take with you. Perfect for ages 0-7 with their caregivers present.
Each week drop-in and discover nature right in your neighborhood park! A naturalist will be set up outside if the weather is nice or inside the rec center with nature curiosities to explore. Weekday afternoons and evenings.
For ages 6 to 14. Theodore Wirth, Minnehaha, and North Mississippi Regional Parks.
Spend the summer exploring woods, gardens, river shores and creeks! Get curious about plants and animals, try a garden snack, or go canoeing all while playing outside. Programs are available for preschool age up to 14 years old.
Bring the whole family for outdoor exploration and activities at Kroening Nature Center. Family Fun Days happen monthly on Saturdays, with a focus on different nature topics each time.
Each week drop-in and discover nature right in your neighborhood park! A naturalist will be set up outside if the weather is nice or inside the rec center with nature curiosities to explore. Weekday afternoons and evenings.
Practice observation and inquisitiveness as we familiarize ourselves with what’s happening with the nature in our park space. Together children and adults will investigate the curiosities we find as we expand our nature exploring from week to week.
A naturalist will lead you in engaging with the nature at various park sites around Minneapolis, followed by time spent socializing around a cozy campfire.
Join a naturalist for an opportunity to go in-depth on a particular topic and learn more about the natural world. Each program will include natural history information, hands-on discovery, and an outdoor component.
Explore parks and gardens across Minneapolis with a Naturalist guide. Discover new places, learn new skills, and socialize while wandering through nature or doing a project.
Bring your projects to knit, crochet and craft in community by the fire at The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Regional Park. All experience levels are welcome! Wednesdays and Fridays, January through mid-March.
Adult/child interactive program for ages1.5 to 4 years old, 8 weekly sessions at various parks. Get those inquisitive minds and bodies exploring nature and socializing with peers! Each day offers opportunities for observing, following curiosity, and sensory investigation during this outdoor exploration time!
Adult nature programs (18+). Join a Kroening naturalist for an opportunity to go in-depth on a particular topic and learn more about the natural world. Each program will include natural history information, hands-on discovery, and an outdoor component. This series covers a wide variety of topics: choose your favorite or try them all to learn something new.
June 22 through August 27, Mondays-Thursdays
Ages 3.5 to 14
Theodore Wirth, Minnehaha, and North Mississippi Regional Parks
Spend the summer exploring woods, gardens, river shores and creeks! Get curious about plants and animals, try a garden snack, or go canoeing all while playing outside. Programs are available for preschool age up to 14 years old.
Check out what’s happening at the JD Rivers’ Produce Garden in Theodore Wirth Park. We have spring events, volunteer sessions, summer day camps, family nights, a public produce market, and more.
This wildflower garden and bird santuary in Theodore Wirth Park is open April 15-October 15. Stop by the garden for a relaxing walk, or join in on one of the many garden tours, birding programs, and family events.
Learn more about Nature Programs
Environmental education programs and activities are delivered by trained Naturalists and Educators that operate at parks city-wide through the Neighborhood Naturalist Program, as well as at three special program sites: Kroening Nature center, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, and JD Rivers’ Children’s Garden. Explore specific offerings through links below.
MPRB’s team of dedicated Naturalists lead nature-based, outdoor, and environmental education experiences throughout parks city-wide. Neighborhood Naturalists aim to connect people in Minneapolis with nearby nature using curiosity, joy, and community to empower learning.
Minneapolis’ only nature center features a permanent exhibit on “Nature in the City” and offers year-round programs and events for all ages and interests. Many activities take place outside in North Mississippi Regional Park, a spectacular site with 67 acres of woods and prairie along the Mississippi River.
From birding programs, garden storytimes, and flower tours to Knitting in Nature, this historic botanical garden buzzes with activities for all ages and interests. It is free and open to the public April through October. Nestled in Theodore Wirth Regional Park, Garden trails wind through a collection of more than 600 plant species in woodland, wetland and upland meadow areas.
Located in Theodore Wirth Regional Park, everyone is welcome to visit this produce garden June through mid-October. Garden educators provide a wide variety of programs dedicated to guiding people of all ages in discovering the joys of growing, preparing, and eating food from the garden. The garden is also the worksite of a teen crew that cares for the plants and sells produce at an on-site market all summer long.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is committed to fostering a deeper connection between residents and their urban natural surroundings, providing opportunities for participants of all ages to engage in interactive learning and recreation experiences. These experiences will lead to a better understanding of local ecosystems, wildlife, and the impact of human activities on the environment. Fostering a strong sense of nature-connection will lead to preserving and protecting these vital green spaces for future generations.
If you are interested in learning more about the park board’s plan for environmental programming now and in the future, visit our Parks for All Comprehensive Plan 2021-2036 [PDF].
BioBlitz
These volunteer community science events bring people together to discover and identify as many species as possible at a specific location and over a defined time period. BioBlitzes are a fun way to collect valuable data and a collaborative effort among local scientists, naturalists, park lovers, park staff, and partner organizations.
Minneapolis residents can choose a price that aligns with their financial situation. Read more about Youth Program Discounts.
Browse All Nature Programs
Use MPRB’s registration system to browse and sign up for nature programs. You can also call or stop by a Recreation Center near you, or call Customer Service: 612-230-6400, Mon–Fri 8:00am to 4:30pm.
