Exploring Nature with Kids (Ages 6–10)
This event is organized by a UMN Lab Group, composed of CTC residents and non-residents, in partnership with CTC.
Talking and exploring nature with children is a wonderful way to build curiosity, awareness, and a sense of community connected to the environment. We warmly invite the CTC community to join us for a fun and educational morning in nature!
- Date: Saturday, October 25
- Meeting Location + Time: Community Center - Upstairs @ 9:00 AM
- Event Duration: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
We’ll meet in the Community Center upstairs at 9:00 am, and parents/guardians should plan to pick up youth from the Community Center upstairs again at 12:00 pm (noon). Parents are not expected to stay but are welcome to if they’d like!
Schedule
- 9:00–9:30 am – Welcome & Breakfast
Enjoy a warm breakfast together, followed by a short introduction on why nature is so important for people and our communities. - 9:30–10:30 am – Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt
Kids will explore the CTC gardens with a guided “treasure map” trail, where they’ll spot and identify leaves, fruits, and trees illustrated on the map as their treasures. - 10:30–11:00 am – Sharing Discoveries
Children will gather to share their “treasures,” talk about what they found, and learn from one another. - 11:00–11:30 am – Story Time in Nature
We’ll read a nature-inspired story together, pausing to identify important natural elements within the story. - 11:30–12:00 pm – Wrap-Up & Goodbyes
A short reflection and time to say goodbye!
About this Project
This event is hosted by the the Pinto-Ledezma Lab at the University of Minnesota research lab group—made up of both CTC residents and non-residents—in partnership with CTC. This event is part of a larger initiative funded by the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment (IonE) through a Spring 2025 Mini Grant. The project— Building Bridges & Biodiversity: Empowering the CTC Community—is a 12-month collaboration between a biodiversity-focused research lab and the CTC community (July 2025–June 2026).
Together, we’ll co-create a sustainability education curriculum tailored for CTC residents. Highlights will include:
- Interactive workshops on soil biodiversity, composting, and climate connections
- Hands-on activities like a compost food-web matching game and a build-your-own worm bin session
- New infrastructure: installation of secure, centralized compost bins—something residents have long requested
This initiative responds directly to community interest in composting and soil health, while aiming to boost climate and biodiversity literacy by 70% among participants. Through shared learning, creative activities, and new composting resources, we hope to build lasting stewardship and deepen connections between research and community life at CTC.
Start your own group or event —it's easy, and we're here to help!
This event, like the majority of CTC's events and groups, is made possible by one or more community volunteers.
Do you have an idea of an activity or event for our community? Or want to teach or learn a new skill or hobby or aspect of life? Do you want to help volunteer to bring your or other's ideas into fruition? Email CTC's Community Outreach Manager and/or join CTC's Programs Committee at our next meeting to brainstorm and discuss ideas!