Locust Grove offers quality programs featuring the natural and cultural history of Montgomery County and the surrounding region. Come visit our forest exhibit and hike one or all of our many trails.
Note: During inclement weather, Nature Centers follow Montgomery County Public School closures, delayed openings and early releases. If school is closed due to inclement weather, all children's programs are cancelled. Cancellation of Adult programs is determined on a case-by-case basis. Please call the nature facility to check on adult program status.
Current Programs
To make registration easier
Make note of the course # and register at ParkPASS.
Locust Grove Programs
 |
 |
 |
 |
Toddlers |
Children |
Adults |
Families |
Fireside Lunch Club: Chestnut Roasting
61801, 2yrs&up, $6, Friday, 12/12, 10:30am-noon
The chestnut will take center stage as we uncover the history and flavor of this magnificent tree. On the menu: hot dogs, baked apples, hot cider and, of course, roasted chestnuts. All children must be accompanied by an adult and all attendees must pay.
Natural Impressions
61499, 12yrs&up, $9, Tuesday, 12/12, 7:00 - 8:30pm
The flowers of summer have long faded from view but their image can be revived through the art of printing. Using pressed flowers and ferns, leaves and fruit, we'll learn simple printing techniques and create unique and impressive notecards. Registration closes on 12/11.
Winter Snacks for Animals
61553, 3yrs & up, $3, Thursday, 12/18, 10:00-11:00am
Please feed the animals! We'll whip up some healthy and tasty treats for our wild neighbors.
Family Solstice Hike and Celebration
60850, 1yrs&up, $2, Saturday, 12/20, 11:00am-12:30pm
The ancients didn't realize that what they considered the official beginning of winter more accurately marks its demise -- and the advent of summer. We'll hike while the pale sun shines, re-enact some favorite customs associated with the winter solstice, and celebrate the earth's perpetual revolution around the sun.
Dipless Candles
61554, 5yrs& up, $6, Tuesday, 12/ 23, 6:00- 7:30pm
No smoke, no hot wax, just simple candles you craft yourself in time for the holiday season. All participants must be accompanied by a registered adult; all registrants must pay.
Nature Craft Potpourri
61500, 6yrs-12Y, $4, Wednesday, 12/ 31, 1:00- 2:00pm
Our leftover craft box is full of possibilities! Drop in to make a frolicking frog or a dragonfly magnet. Or get really wild and make a 'frogonfly'! Help us use up our leftover craft supplies and have creative fun in the process. Anything goes, and everything will go by the end of this class. Children under the age of 8 years must be accompanied by an adult.
2009
Tot Time: Winter Birds
61501, 18M-3Y, $5, Tuesday, 1/ 6, 11:15am-noon
Watch the winter birds at the feeder and learn colors, sizes and creative movement in the process. Hike included.
Fireside Lunch Club
61750, 2yrs&up, $6, Friday, 1/ 9, 10:30am-noon
Yes, it's cold outside and that means that the lunch we cook over the fire pit will taste all the more delicious. On the menu, hot dogs, baked apples and hot cider. All children must be accompanied by an adult and all attendees must pay.
A Crystal Ball
61799, 6-12Y, $6, Friday, 1/9, 4:30- 5:30pm
Glittering, sparkling crystals - our world would be so drab without them. But what are crystals, and how are they formed? Discover their magic as we make some of to take home, and explore their amazing intricacy. No younger siblings please. All children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
Friday Night Hike
61555, 5yrs & up, Free, Friday, 1/ 9, 7:00pm- 8:00pm
Brrrisk! We'll see what's happening on a January night in the woods. Inclement weather cancels the program.
Tip-Tapping Maple Trees
61502, 1yrs&up, Free, Saturday, 1/10, 11:00am-noon
Help us collect the sap that becomes the syrup by identifying suitable maple trees, drilling holes and setting up collecting buckets. Then return later in the month to learn the rest of this sweet story. Best for ages 4 and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sounds Abound
61503, 4-6Y, $6, Thursday, 1/15, 11:00am-noon
The season of silence offers a rare opportunity to make a lot of noise! With our hearing sharpened we'll explore the world of sound and silence through simple experiments and household items. A quiet hike outside is on the agenda so leave your earmuffs at home! No younger siblings, please.
Suncatchers
61556, 5yrs & up, $5, Friday, 1/16, 4:00- 5:00pm
Winter needs some lightening and brightening. Join us to make a simple suncatcher to add some color to the winter days.
Flannel Board Stories: Winter
61751, 3-5Y, $4, Thursday, 1/22, 1:00- 2:00pm
Drop in for a seasonal tale of winter delight.
Winter Wander
61557, 5yrs & up, Free, Saturday, 1/24, 11:00am-noon
Get outside for some fresh air! We'll see who's been wandering in the woods as we go off the beaten track to look for tracks!
Corn Husk Dolls
61504, 6-12Y, $8, Monday, 1/26, 1:00- 2:00pm
Sometimes the most endearing keepsakes are the simple ones you make yourself. With cornhusks, yarn, fabric scraps and bits of this and that, we'll fashion personable dolls to play with, and keep.
Ice, Ice, Baby
61558, 3-6Y, $3, Tuesday, 1/27, 10:00-11:00am
We'll explore the fascinating properties of frozen water and see how it stacks up as a sculptural element.
Storytime: How Groundhog's Garden Grew
61752, 3-5Y, $4, Thursday, 1/29, 10:30-11:30am
Give a groundhog a vegetable and feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own and feed him for a lifetime. Groundhog learns that creating his own garden is more fun than eating from his neighbor's.
Maple Sugaring Time
61753, 2yrs&up, $2, Thursday, 2/5, 1:00pm- 2:00pm
61754, 2yrs&up, $2, Tuesday, 2/10, 10:00am-11:00am
61756, 2yrs&up, $2,Tuesday, 2/24, 11:00am-12:00pm
61757, 2yrs&up, $2, Friday, 2/27, 1:30pm- 2:30pm
Learn the history of maple sugaring and the hows and whys of sap, then follow the sap from tree to table in our maple sugaring demo. Can you tell the difference between real maple syrup and artificial? Take our syrupy taste test and find out!
Wild Montgomery: Blue Mash Hike
61549, Adults, Free, Thursday, 2/5, 9:30-11:30am
The natural surface trails around the beautifully reclaimed Oaks Landfill in Olney traverse mixed habitats, including marshland, forest and open water. On this moderate hike (1.5 miles one-way, 3 miles round trip), you'll see a wide variety of wintering waterfowl, woodpeckers, kinglets and other hardy birds, and hear some local history from your Park Naturalist guide along the way. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather. Trails can be muddy, so boots are a good idea. Meet in the parking lot off Zion Rd.; call 301-299-1990 for directions. Reservations required.
American Folk Heroes
61559, 3yrs & up, $2, Friday, 2/6, 6:00- 7:00pm
American tradition is full of folk heroes, from Johnny Appleseed to John Henry. We'll learn about American tall tales and what they represented to the people of their time.
Tot Time: Mix it Up!
61550, 18M-3Y, $5, Saturday, 2/7, 11:15am-noon
Chemistry for little ones begins with a spoon and a bowl. In this experiment-filled class we'll combine safe, household ingredients to make clay, goop and all manner of bizarre concoctions. Come to measure, mix, blend and stir up some fun!
Afternoon Tea at Woodlawn Manor
61649, Adults, $25, Friday, 2/13, 12:15- 3:00pm
Give yourself a valentine treat of historical significance! Join us for a three course, formal tea at the gracious Woodlawn Manor (circa 1774) in Sandy Spring. The authentic tea will include scones, tea sandwiches, desserts and, of course, fine English tea. We'll also take a tour of the manor, learning about its 18th century portraits and its various outbuildings, including the stone barn, slave log cabin, smokehouse, and general store. Transportation provided from Locust Grove. Registration closes 2/6/09
Signs of Spring Hike
61560, 5yrs& up, $2, Saturday, 2/14, 11:00am-12:30pm
Spring has a way of sneaking in quietly. We'll look carefully for early wildflowers, and hopefully, hear a woodfrog or two singing a Valentine's day love song. Meet at the Campground gate on Tuckerman Lane.
Sapsuckers & Other Sticky Characters
61561, 3-6Y, $4, Tuesday, 2/17, 10:00-11:00am
Maple isn't the only sappy tree in the woods. Learn about the birds and bugs that dine on sweet, sticky sap.
The Stream in Winter
61699, 6-12Y, $4, Thursday, 2/19, 4:00- 5:00pm
No one, besides Labrador retrievers, ever thinks of exploring the creek in winter. Yet this can be the stream habitat's busiest season, when insect larvae are most active. So, learn from your dog and join us as we hike along the Cabin John Creek. We'll take note of its temperature, its flow, its ice crystals and perhaps, its cold-hardy critters. Dress for the weather and wear waterproof boots suitable for shallow wading.
Sleepytime Stories
61562, 3-6Y, $3, Thursday, 2/19, 10:00-11:00am
Winter is a great time to snooze. We'll read some stories about animals that sleep away the winter, then we'll make a snug craft, and then,zzzzzzz!
Fireside Lunch Club: Big Pancake Brunch
61755, 2yrs&up, $6, Thursday, 2/26, 10:30am-noon
Pancakes and hot syrup prepared over an open fire are utterly irresistible! Accompany them with hot sausage and warmed apple cider, and you have a meal fit for winter royalty! All children must be accompanied by an adult and all attendees must pay.
