The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center welcomes home school groups from all over to participate in our home school days. We offer multiple options throughout the year.
You must register online and pay before hand. Classes are non-refundable.
Cost: $5 for kids. You will need to complete the online waiver as part of your registration. Classes have a minimum requirement to run. Parents are not required to attend with their child but are welcome to.
Click on the registration link and it will redirect you to our Park and Rec website; Civic Rec. If you do not already have an account, please make one to register.
Classes Offered
Fall
Wednesday, October 15
K-2nd Grade: Apple Cidering and Seeds
1:00 – 2:45 pm
Fall is the perfect time to learn about the importance of seeds and their different modes of transportation. Apples are great transporters of their seeds because they are so tasty! So tasty in fact that we will be making apple cider the old fashioned way from them!
3rd-5th Grade: Prairie Ecology
1:00 – 2:45 pm
Southern Minnesota was historically prairie land, today, only 1% of Minnesota’s prairie land remains. Walk through our prairies while learning about and collecting prairie seeds. We will talk about the importance of prairies for animals, such as birds and bison. Dig deeper into how prairie plants help with water conservation and land management due to their root systems. Help the Nature Center seed a prairie we are restoring by making seed balls!
6th and Up: Tree ID
1:00 – 2:45 pm
Gain the skills to ID trees on your own by using a dichotomous key. Walk the trails of the Nature Center with a naturalist while using your dichotomous key to ID trees.
Cross-Country Skiing
Dates Coming Soon!
All Ages
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Bring the whole family to learn how to cross-country ski. Staff will teach you the basics of cross-country skiing and then fit you in boots, skis, and poles. We will then go out on the trails as a group for about an hour and a half. The youngest we can fit in skis is 5 years old.
Cost: $8 for adults, $5 for kids. If you do not want to ski but would like to participate, we recommend trying snowshoes for $8.
*When you register for this class the price will say $8. When you register your child, based on their age (5-18), they will get a discount of $3 to bring the cost down to $5 at check-out.
Maple Syruping
All Ages
1:00 – 2:30 pm
Learn the history of maple syruping and the ins and outs of the whole process. Immerse yourself in the experience by collecting sap from maple trees and picking out a tree to tap as a group.
*This is one of our typical family classes so anyone participating must pay (kids age 3 and under are free)
$5 per person
Spring
K-3rd Grade: Mushrooms, Moss, and Lichens
People tend to lump mushrooms, mosses, and lichens together, when really they are very different from each other. Learn what makes each one unique and how to identify different types. Head out into the woods to find examples of mushrooms, mosses, and lichens while trying to mark off all the pictures on your bingo card!
4th – 6th Grade : Planet Exploration: Planetarium
Take a trip through our solar system and see the planets up close in our inflatable planetarium! Take a mile walk on the Nature Center trails while we talk about the different planets and their comparable sizes while also walking the comparable distance between each planet in our solar system.
7th Grade and Up: Canoe down Dobbins to East Side Lake
Enjoy the beauty of Austin’s waterways by canoeing down Dobbin Creek to East Side Lake. Naturalists will instruct and guide you, while also providing some natural interpretation on the way. We provide paddles and lifejackets.
There may not be a backup activity due to storms or water levels. If Nature Center staff cancel class due to unsafe conditions, you will be refunded.