When you’re at FortWhyte there are endless opportunities to explore nature together at FortWhyte Alive.
With 660-acres of stunning wetlands, forests, and lakes there are so many discoveries to be made that you might not find anywhere else in Winnipeg.
But the more you explore the harder it can be to find new discoveries.
So here are a few family friendly things you can do on a walk with your kids (or on your own) to connect with nature and have fun.
Play a game together
Challenge each other to a game of I spy or work together with a themed scavenger hunt to see what you can spot on your walk.
Scavenger hunt themes: Find the colours of the rainbow, find the animals of FortWhyte, Photo hunts (take a picture with everything on the list).
If you want an activity that’s ready to go grab one of our Alive in the Woods worksheets, a series of activities that changes with the seasons so there’s always something for you to discover. For younger children you can stop by the Richardson Interpretive Centre to pick up some photo scavenger hunts for inside the building or out on the trails.
Look down! Look up! Look everywhere!
What better way to get a new perspective on the world than changing your point of view. When you’re walking with your kids, challenge them to get low to the ground and look around. What can you find?
Things to look out for down low: A tiny bug on a blade of grass, worms wiggling by, fallen seeds from nearby trees, maybe even animal tracks that you can identify together.
Now look high. Turn your eyes to the sky or climb up to get a view from above, what can you find here?
Things to look out for up high: Fruit or seeds on trees, birds and their nests, holes left in trees by woodpeckers or bugs, the different ways tree trunks bend and grow.
Once you’re done head to the boardwalks and peer into the water and sky. How do things change when you look into the water? Is anything the same? What else can you discover when you grab a net and pail and go dipnetting?
Join one of FortWhyte’s programs
Ready for someone else to take the lead? FortWhyte offers a variety of family-friendly programs so you can explore and learn.
Family Nature Hikes and Habitat Secrets are great programs for exploring the trails with a knowledgeable guide. Or try something new like paddling a Voyageur Canoe or taking a Bison Safari. All of our programs are listed on our calendar.
Celebrate the changing seasons
As a family, pick a favourite trail or route and take an extra slow walk to see what changes you can spot.
Maybe you can find a plant that wasn’t there before or spot the exact day that the trees start to turn green after a long cold winter. Around FortWhyte you might spot small piles of seed shells that mean a bird or squirrel was recently snacking there.
With every find take a moment to talk to your kids – why did this change happen? Is it something that happens with the seasons, did a person or animal make that change?
It’s time to head out now! Pack your sunscreen, bug spray, water, and snacks and head out for a nice walk in nature.
When you make a discovery be sure to let us know what you find!