Beaver Creek Reserve was voted the best place to take your kids in the Chippewa Valley according to the “Best of the Chippewa Valley 2021” reader poll by Volume One. Beaver Creek Reserve has many different options for kids of all ages to learn and explore, and the best part, the activities change with the seasons! Open year-round at the Wise Nature Center, we have our Scheels Discovery Room that has a ton of interesting facts about plants and animals that are native to the area. During our colder weather, we have snowshoe and cross-country ski rentals available. Rentals cost $3 each for members, and $10 each for non members. We had our Christmas Bird Count in December, where we counted thousands of visiting winter birds. This past month, we hosted Frosty Frolic, a less common winter event here in the area, dog sledding, Snowshoe Lacing, and a candlelight snowshoe hike.
As the weather begins to get warmer, the activities in the winter shift over to spring! With new growth comes new activities at the Reserve! To kick off spring we have Beekeeping 101 where you can learn how to become a master beekeeper. This is the first course of three offered throughout the year and is instructed by members of the Chippewa Valley Beekeepers. We also have DIY Salve Making as well. Later, we have a bunch of fun new events like Maple Syrup Saturday where you and your family can learn about the history of maple sugaring here at Beaver Creek Reserve, enjoy maple doughnuts and hot chocolate, and get the opportunity to “adopt-a-tree.” We also have other events including, Owl Pellet Dissection, where kids can learn about an owl’s typical diet. We also have our Exotic Pet Surrender event where anyone in the area that may not be able to care for their exotic pet can bring it in! During this, we will also have a presentation on invasive species. In April, we have Nature Tots: Leap into Spring, where kids can learn about what’s blooming in the spring and all the new colors we’ll start to see.
In the summer, we have our Budding Butterflies camp where kids have the opportunity to learn about the cycle of a butterfly. Not only are the kids able to learn about the butterflies but they also can try to catch some. Registration for camps opens on Saturday, March 12 at 8:00 a.m. A few of the other camps we offer include, Soaring Scientist, Outdoor Water Adventures, and so much more! If you miss out on Butterfly Camp, come visit our seasonal Butterfly House. The house opens on July 5th and will close on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend for the summer. Stop by and see hundreds of native-Wisconsin butterflies!
Beaver Creek Reserve always has something for everyone, and it is changing all the time! Take your kids out for a beautiful day in nature.
