15 cool Wisconsin nature centers to go to with your kids
Sometimes it can be difficult to convince our kids to get outside. But all the childhood experts and doctors and nutritionists tell us how important it is for children to get away from the screens and get out in nature. And, let's be honest, we parents know that kids who have run around outside for an hour or two every day are much more pleasant to be around.
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These 15 nature centers have some pretty cool things to do to keep your kids interested and begging you to go outside.
Aztalan State Park
Where: Hwy Q in the Village of Aztalan near Lake Mills in south-central Wisconsin
Cool factor: This state park is more than just a nature center. It's actually an ancient Native American ceremonial and residential town established in 1050 AD. Your kids will be fascinated by the burial mounds and a reconstructed stockade fence.
Boerner Botanical Gardens
Where: 9400 Boerner Drive, Hales Corners
Cool factor: This beautiful (and close-to-home) gardens in Whitnall Park host some pretty awesome kid-friendly holiday events (for all the big ones, including Easter, Christmas and Mother's Day) which feature visits with notables like Santa and the Easter Bunny, as well as kid activities and brunches catered by Zilli Hospitality Group.
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Bong State Recreation Area
Where: 26313 Burlington Rd., Kansasville
Cool factor: Well, aside from the coolness of the name? This recreation center is a participant in the Wisconsin Explorer Program for kids, which includes scavenger hunts, games, hikes and crafts. And doing all these cool activities will earn your kids collectible state symbol patches.
Havenwoods State Forest
Where: 6141 N. Hopkins St., Milwaukee
Cool factor: Remember Smokey the Bear? You know, the guy who teaches us to prevent forest fires? Well, this state forest has a program that allows you to take Smokey hiking. You can stop by the nature center to check out Smokey and his backpack, which includes a ranger hat and some activities to do. And of course you need to snap some selfies with the big guy to share online. Oh, and you can take Smokey camping at Havenwoods too!
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Hawthorn Glen Outdoor Education Center
milwaukeerecreation.net/rec/Programs/Outdoor-Education/Hawthorn-Glen.htm
Where: 1130 N. 60th St., Milwaukee
Cool factor: This is the official nature center for Milwaukee Public Schools, and it guarantees that Milwaukee kids get some extra-special time in nature through awesome programs like "Animal grocery store," "Eat me not" and "Urban safari."
Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area
Where: N7725 Highway 28, Horicon
Cool factor: This wildlife area is famous for the geese that gather when it's time to migrate. It also has an explorium with hands-on exhibits which let you and your kids see, listen to, touch and even smell the way the marsh was thousands of years ago. The exhibits include a wooly mammoth replica the kids can climb on.
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Mitchell Park Domes
Where: 524 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee
Cool factor: The iconic Domes have a pretty cool gift shop with plenty of affordable souvenirs to commemorate your family's visit, including a "My trip to the Domes" coloring book and the chance to sponsor some of the animals that live in the Domes, such as birds, frogs, toads and fish.
Mequon Nature Preserve
Where: 8200 County Line Rd., Mequon
Cool factor: An extremely extensive field guide is available on the nature preserve's website, which you can consult to answer any and all questions your little explorer has during your nature hikes.
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Pringle Nature Center
Where: 9800 160th Ave., Bristol
Cool factor: The center has really affordable birthday parties with activities like treasure hunts, nature games, geocaching and paper making.
Retzer Nature Center
Where: S14 W28167 Madison St., Waukesha
Cool factor: The Charles Z. Horwitz Planetarium has awesome programs and activities for kids to learn all about nature outside of our planet.
Riveredge Nature Center
Where: 4458 County Hwy Y, Saukville
Cool factor: Supervised tree climbing. Enough said.
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Where: 1111 E. Brown Deer Road, Milwaukee
Cool factor: For the past 40 years, the nature center has invited community members and visitors to engage in citizen science: collecting data about the wildlife in the area to learn more about its health and figure out the best way to conserve it.
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Seno Kenosha/Racine Land Trust Conservancy
Where: 3606 Dyer Lake Rd., Burlington
Cool factor: Field trips are available, and the educators are very upfront that they reserve the right to go off script if something amazing and unexpected presents itself during the nature hikes.
Urban Ecology Center
Where: Riverside Park, 1500 E. Park Place, Milwaukee; Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th St., Milwaukee; and Menomonee Valley, 3700 W. Pierce St., Milwaukee
Cool factor: Members can rent some pretty awesome stuff to use, such as canoes, kayaks, bikes, ice skates, sleds, snowshoes and lots more.
Wehr Nature Center
Where: 9701 W. College Ave., Franklin
Cool factor: The center boasts the Wehr Early Childhood Nature Play Space, which is like a natural playground, with rocks to climb over, a sand and rock area, a sensory garden, a prairie grass maze and even a little log cabin.