Pre-K & K Programs

All programs are approximately 45-60 minutes including a presentation, craft, book/song, and hike.

ALL YEAR

A Closer Look at Pitch Pine
Pitch pines are all around you in the Pine Bush. Join us to learn all about these important trees. We will take a short walk to investigate these scraggly pines up close.

Hoot Like an Owl at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve

“Hoo-hoo hoooooo hoo-hoo”!  Let’s hoot like an owl at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. We’ll explore the special ways that owls live their lives. Join us to listen to owl calls, read a story and make an owl finger puppet.

Neet Feet of the Pine Bush

Who passed this way? Help us look for signs of animals that live in the Pine Bush. We will explore the practice of identifying animals by their tracks, read a book, play a game, and then create our own tracks!

Oh Deer! 
Leap on over to the Pine Bush to find out what a white-tailed deer looks like! Where does it live in the Pine Bush? What does a deer eat? And what might it leave behind? Listen…Did you hear that? Does a deer make a noise in the woods? Join us as we explore the lives of deer through a presentation, story, and craft.

Terrific Turtles
Have you ever seen a turtle in the Pine Bush? They’re here! In this program, we will learn what kinds of turtles live in the Pine Bush, where they live, and how they survive. Come and join us for a story, song, craft and live turtles.

Use Your Senses to Explore the Pine Bush 

Through hands-on activities and a short hike, we will explore and experience the Albany Pine Bush Preserve using all our senses.

Wild & Wiley Turkeys of the Pine Bush
Discover the life of wild turkeys in the Pine Bush!  Join us as we learn about turkeys through sounds, sight and exploration.  In this program we will start indoors with a discussion, story, and craft and then go outdoors for a short hike to look for turkey signs.

Who Lives in the Albany Pine Bush?
The Albany Pine Bush is a home for many different animals including reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and more! Join us for an exploration of animal life in the Pine Bush including a puppet show, story, craft and hike.

SPRING, SUMMER, FALL

Batty for Bats in the Pine Bush
Come join us and discover the world of bats!  Bats are an important part of the Albany Pine Bush and are very helpful to have around. In this program we will explore bat habitat, hear a story about a very special bat, and make a bat craft to bring home.

Discover Sand-It’s Right Under Your Feet
Come and explore the sandy environment of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve and discover what creatures live here in the sand. We will take a short hike and search for creatures living in the sand. We’ll also sing, listen to a story and create sand art to bring home.

Pond Treasures 
Explore the amazing world of ponds! Did you ever wonder what lives in a pond besides fish and frogs? Kids will be fascinated with the creatures they find as they explore the waters in the Albany Pine Bush. Put on your boots and be prepared to explore from the water’s edge. Bring your curiosity and we will provide nets and magnifiers.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side of Flowers
Learn what a wildflower is and explore the many colors, shapes, and sizes of wildflowers in the Pine Bush. Participants will make their own wildflower.

SPRING, SUMMER

Amphibian Adventure 
Can you hop like toad, ribbit like a frog and crawl like a salamander? Join us to learn about the members of a group of animals called amphibians that make the Pine Bush their home.

A Perfect Match: Karner Blue Butterflies and Wild Blue Lupine
Explore the amazing relationship between the endangered Karner blue butterfly and its host plant, the wild blue lupine. In this program, we will experience a walk to observe this special insect and plant, listen to a story and make a Karner blue butterfly craft.

Exploring the Pine Bush on the Wings of a Dragonfly
Explore the lives of dragonflies and what their life is like in the Pine Bush. Enjoy a walk to look for dragonflies and then construct your very own dragonfly.

Incredible Insects of the Pine Bush
Creepy, crawly. squishy, smally.  Insects abound in the Pine Bush.  Through hands on exploration, a hike and craft we will learn the ins and outs of these incredible insects.

Slimy Salamanders of the Pine Bush
Do you know what a salamander is?  Come explore with us by learning all about these slimy animals that live here in the Pine Bush.

Slither Like a Snake at the Albany Pine Bush
Explore the native snakes of the Albany Pine Bush. Learn what they eat and how they get around in this environment. Enjoy a walk to observe snake habitat and then construct a coiled snake.

SPRING

Signs of Spring
The Earth has awoken from its winter slumber and spring is here!  Join us as we explore the Pine Bush in search of signs of spring including budding plants, migrating birds, insects on the move and more.

FALL

Buckmoths are Flying in the Pine Bush
Discover the amazing and rare buckmoth. Explore buckmoth habitat and enjoy a walk to look for buckmoths in the Preserve. Create a buckmoth to take home!

Take a Look....Fall is Here!
Explore the fall season at the Albany Pine Bush. Come and investigate what plants and animals are up to during this season. Join us for a walk and then make a craft using fall leaves.

WINTER

Dress Like an Animal
Discover how our native animals survive the long, cold winter and dress up like one of our favorite Pine Bush creatures. We will also play a game and take a short hike to look for warm places to hibernate. Please don’t forget your warm clothes, boots, hats & mittens!

Sleeping, Sleeping, all Winter Long
Sleeping all winter long may sound like an easy way to deal with winter, but hibernation comes with its own challenges and risks.  We will explore hibernation through story, song and play and learn what hibernation means and which animals of the Pine Bush hibernate.

Winter Birds of the Pine Bush
Fluff up your feathers and join us for a program on winter birds!  Many birds stay here, just outside our window, all year long.  We’ll explore which birds are year-round residents and learn some of their names and sounds as well as how they survive the winter.  We’ll also make a take-home bird feeder and discuss how we can observe our feathered friends.