Discover nature in wetlands at MDC annual family fun day

ST. CHARLES, Mo - Special places that help clean water, reduce flooding and provide home to fascinating plants and animals are worth celebrating. They can be a lot of fun too.

That’s the idea behind the Missouri Department of Conservation 's (MDC) annual Wetlands for Kids Day event on Saturday, April 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles. Wetlands for Kids Day is sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and US Bank. It’s hosted by MDC, Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The event is free and open to both kids and adults.

Wetlands for Kids Day can help families discover nature by learning about and appreciating wetlands through enjoyable activities that relate fun with these vital habitats.

Activities include more than 20 stations where visitors can learn about wetland creatures first hand. There will be a chance to see real birds of prey, thanks to the World Bird Sanctuary. A live reptile and amphibian station will allow a close up look at these wetland inhabitants. Kids can explore the Duck Wing Maze while learning to identify ducks by wings and plumage along the way. They can also crawl through a simulated beaver den.

Retriever demonstrations are popular with visitors who enjoy watching the dogs perform on land and water. Other stations include free fish tasting, air rifle shooting, and archery skills, along with a fly-rod casting station.

Each child who attends gets a free Ducks Unlimited Greenwing membership and a subscription to Puddler Magazine. All kids who come to the event will also receive a free tree seedling from MDC.

In keeping with its watery theme, Wetlands for Kids Day will go on rain or shine. In the event of wet weather, the event will be moved indoors.

To learn more about Wetlands for Kids Day, call 636-441-4554.

The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area is located in St. Charles on Route D about two miles west of Highway 94.