The Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly fun to parks across the city! Beginning on June 2nd, 2026 and continuing on Tuesdays and Thursdays until August 6th, these activities offer a range of experiences that focus on connecting with nature and learning about our environment.
Together, we’ll create art with natural pigments, enjoy storytelling sessions, observe plants and wildlife, and more!
Time: 9 – 11 a.m., Tuesdays & Thursdays
Recommended Ages: These events are best suited for children from K–5th grade, but are designed to accommodate a wide age range. Older kids are welcome and encouraged!
June 2026
Tuesday, June 2 | A Drop of Water at Valley Park
Thursday, June 4 | Amphibia! at Gardenside Park
Tuesday, June 9 | Birds of a Feather at Marlboro Park
Thursday, June 11 | Little Worlds at Duncan Park
Tuesday, June 16 | Park Palette at Oakwood Park
Thursday, June 18 | Pollinator Play at Castlewood Park
Tuesday, June 23 | Trash to Treasure at Kenwick Park
Thursday, June 25 | Tree Huggers at Coolavin Park
Tuesday, June 30 | When Water Floats at Valley Park
July 2026
Thursday, July 2 | Worms at Work to Northeastern Park
Tuesday, July 7 | A Drop of Water to Gardenside Park
Thursday, July 9 | Amphibia! to Gainesway Park
Tuesday, July 14 | Birds of a Feather to Coolavin Park
Thursday, July 16 | Little Worlds to Oakwood Park
Tuesday, July 21 | Park Palette to Marlboro Park
Thursday, July 23 | Pollinator Pals to Meadowthorpe Park
Tuesday, July 28 | Trash to Treasure to Douglass Park
Thursday, July 30 | Tree Huggers to Duncan Park
August 2026
Tuesday, August 4 | When Water Floats to Charles Young Park
Thursday, August 6 | Worms at Work to Castlewood Park
Program Descriptions
A Drop of Water – Let’s go see what’s living in the water! We’ll play games to learn about how water moves, wet our feet in search of freshwater creatures, and get a closer look at our findings.
Amphibia! – Frogs, toads, salamanders, newts! Come learn about frog development, leap like a frog, and explore the marvel of amphibians.
Birds of a Feather – Stop. Listen. Look, a bird! Join us as we learn all about our feathered friends and how to find them!
Little Worlds – Create a miniature version of your local park to capture the magic of its many little worlds. As we build, we’ll learn how parks are full of habitats and microhabitats – all the places, big and small, where animals, insects, and plants live.
Park Palette – Nature’s full of color, texture, and inspiration, if you know where to look! Join us to learn how to make art from the colors you find in rocks, plants, and soil.
Pollinator Play – Step into a world where kids become bees, butterflies, and other helpful bugs as we act out the age-old story of how plants share pollen. Along the way, we’ll learn about Lexington’s star pollinators, then finish by crafting a bug hotel to share with the beneficial bugs who visit us at home.
Trash to Treasure – Refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and upcycle! Give dumpster-bound items new life through hands-on reimagining.
Tree Huggers – Spend time under the trees learning how they grow, what helps them stand tall, and all the ways we’re connected.
When Water Floats – Let’s learn how water vapor can turn into clouds, fog, mountain “smoke,” and even the moisture on a cold cup. Then we’ll look at how clouds change shape and move across the sky, painting what we see.
Worms at Work – Learn all about worms and how they transform kitchen scraps into healthy soil. Take home your own wormery to observe the process in action!
