Outdoor Nature Play Marana

11/12/2025

A Gila Woodpecker at Steam Pump Ranch Park in Oro Valley, AZ. This is one of many desert animals you can learn about in my weekly classes. Registration links in my bio/profile.

11/09/2025

I have a table at the market with a kids' activity. Enjoy shopping for the holidays and take a play break at my table! Hope to see you there 🌵

11/09/2025

One-time classes are a great opportunity to see if your child enjoys nature class!

🍃 Outdoor Nature Play will offer two 1-day options this month! Come get a taste of the 4-week program and enjoy a fun morning outside with your child(ren).

🌝 For this class we will explore spirals in nature with the Huachuca Woodland Snail, and we'll also turn an ordinary jar into a lantern with nature treasures to celebrate darkness. The book to share will be "Thank you Moon: Celebrating Nature's Nightlight" by Melissa Stewart.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Designed for children aged 1-12. Must be accompanied by an adult. We will be exploring the park area; please wear closed-toe shoes.

⏰ Dates/Time: Tues, Nov 18 OR Sun, Nov 23, 10-11AM
ℹ️ Cost: $10 Resident or $12.25 Non-Resident ($3 multiple-child discount)
📍 Location: Marana Heritage River Park (12375 N Heritage Park Dr)
👉 Register at http://apm.activecommunities.com/marana/Activity_Search/1031

11/06/2025

This week's class focused on building. Can you gather materials and build like a beaver? Even though we weren't working to divert water, explorers came up with very creative ways to repurpose sunflower stalks. A few "sticks on a string" took fast walks around the park. A lively game of "feed the alligator-dragon" had us laughing and searching for hotdogs, then marshmallows to feed the hungry, pretend critter. A very fun part of building a tower is knocking it down. Explorers practiced building up and letting younger friends knock their creations down. An older explorer made an elaborate obstacle course for younger explorers to try.

If you want an outdoor activity as the weather is finally cooling off, I have one-time classes in November and a session of 3 classes in December. Marana classes are Tuesdays and Sunday at Marana Heritage River Park, Oro Valley classes are Thursdays at Riverfront Park. There is a one-time November class in Oro Valley on Saturday the 22nd. Message me with any questions.

11/04/2025

Want to try one nature class? I have 4 opportunities coming up in November. Find me in Marana on Tues 11/18 or Sunday 11/23; or find me in Oro Valley on Thursday 11/20 or Saturday 11/22. All classes start at 10am. We will be learning about the Huachuca Woodlandsnail, creating spirals, and making nature lanterns!

Registration links in my bio/profile. Message me with any questions!

10/30/2025

This week's classes explored mixing an acid with a base (vinegar and baking soda) to create pumpkin volcanoes. First, we had to find sticks to use as tools to clean out the pumpkins. We put on clear safety glasses to protect our eyes. Then everyone had a spoon and a container of baking soda to choose how much they wanted to pour into their pumpkin. Next, plastic cups were filled with vinegar and added to the baking soda filled pumpkins. Lots of bubbles came flowing up and out of the pumpkins. We sprinkled some blue butterfly pea flower powder to see if the vinegar was a strong enough acid to turn it pink (it seems lemon is a stronger acid than diluted household vinegar). After repeated volcano experiments, we worked together to mix up pumpkin "stew". Pouring vinegar and then water was a lot of fun!

10/23/2025

This week, we searched for colors, used rocks to grind up the colors we found, and added water to make nature paint. I brought turmeric, paprika, and butterfly pea flower powder for more paint mixing opportunities. After learning about the porcupine (did you know they live in Northern Arizona?), we gathered pine needles and small twigs to push into cinnamon air dry clay.

10/23/2025

Come play next week on Wednesday 10/29 from 5pm-6pm outside of Jojo's at 76 W Washington. Enjoy an expanded kids menu while I keep them busy so you can relax and eat!

We will be exploring white air dry clay (made with cornstarch, baking soda, and water) and barrel cactus fruit while learning about desert animals.

08/07/2025

Looking for beautiful, unique earrings? Go check out my friend's art on Saturday!