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WILDWOOD, Mo. — Children are never too young to discover the wonders of nature. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering two early childhood programs during the month of December at Rockwoods Reservation in Wildwood to help kids do just that. Each one is specifically tailored for preschool age children.
Both programs a free of charge but require advance online registration using the provided links above.
Teddy Talk helps youngsters compare and understand the difference between their beloved Teddy bears and Missouri’s real black bears with interactive experiences. Kids will get the chance to touch real bear pelts to see how their stuffed toys compare. The young participants will be able to eat a “bear snack,” enjoy a bear book reading and sing along, and try their hand at making a bear puppet. MDC naturalists will guide the kids on an outdoor hike with their puppets to find foods that bears might eat in the wild and places where they might sleep during winter.
Babes in the Woods: Hibernation will help younger children explore firsthand how different animals survive the cold of winter. Youngster’s will be able to touch various mammal pelts, meet live reptiles and amphibians, and enjoy a reading and singalong about hibernation. The program also includes a naturalist-lead outdoor hike on the paved portion of the area’s Trail Among the Trees so that kids can find places where animals might hibernate during winter for themselves.
Rockwoods Reservation is located at 2751 Glencoe Road, off Highway 109 between I-44 and Highway 100.
