Saturdays, 1:00-2:00 p.m. January 24 ~ February 28 ~ March 28 Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, 80906 The puppets are back for the series, “As the Bear Creek Flows” puppet show! You’ll learn about the herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores of Bear Creek. Come prepared for a short, winter hike. Suggested…
Drawing Winter Trees in Ink Saturday, February 7, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Fountain Creek Nature Center, 320 Pepper Grass Lane, Fountain, CO 80807 Celebrate the quiet beauty of winter with artist Saraiya Kanning in this drawing class focused on the expressive forms of bare trees. Using graphite pencils and ink, participants will explore techniques…
Saturday, March 14, 10-11:30am Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Spend your Saturday morning building a LEGO coyote! Bricks & Minifigs (Colorado Springs – South) will provide all the materials and instructions needed, as well as share some information on LEGO’s sustainable practices. Afterwards, enjoy a guided hike along…
245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
719-520-6387
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
These programs are for homeschooling families! Two programs will run simultaneously: Ute Knowledge at STEM for children 8-11 and Discover Bear Creek for children ages 5-7. Children 8+ may be dropped off, children 7 & under must have a caregiver attend with them. $4/person. Prepaid registration required.
Join a cozy and creative winter experience! This all-ages watercolor class invites all to paint birds while learning about their unique behaviors and habitats. Guided by local artist and birder, Mary Wilson, explore basic watercolor techniques while observing live bird feeders and photos for inspiration. All materials are provided—just bring your curiosity and love of nature! Open to families, individuals, and bird enthusiasts of all skill levels.
Prepaid registration required. $8/person
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
The puppets are back for the series, “As the Bear Creek Flows” puppet show! You’ll learn about the herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores of Bear Creek. Come prepared for a short, winter hike.
Suggested $2 per person or $5 per family donation.
Saturday, March 7, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Taught by experienced gardeners from the Bear Creek Garden Association, topics include starting vegetable plants indoors, best vegetable varieties, organic pest control and fertilizers, plant protection, and square-foot gardening. For information about the community garden in Bear Creek Park, see www.bearcreekgardens.org.
$3 per BCGA member // $4 per non-member. Prepaid registration required
Learn to paint snowy landscapes with soft pastels, a wonderful, colorful, and forgiving medium! Follow a step-by-step demonstration as you learn about composition, value shapes, perspective, and pastel painting techniques. Lisa provides a welcoming workshop environment that encourages students to abandon fear and find their own joyful artistry in the creative process.
This class is for beginner/ intermediate students interested in exploring painting techniques with soft pastels.
$55/person includes pastels, paper, and desktop easel. Ages 18+ only.
Spend your Saturday morning building a LEGO coyote! Bricks & Minifigs (Colorado Springs – South) will provide all the materials and instructions needed, as well as share some information on LEGO’s sustainable practices. Afterwards, enjoy a guided hike along the nature trail.
$25 per kit. Prepaid registration required.
Let’s learn about math in nature! Nature may seem random at times but there are secret patterns and codes- even crickets telling the temperature. We’ll have an interactive introduction, a scavenger hunt hike, and pie in celebration of Pi Day!
Recommended ages 6+.
$5/person or $4/member. Prepaid registration required.
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
This two-day course covers all aspects of beekeeping in the Pikes Peak region. You will learn how to acquire bees and the necessary equipment to keep them. Bee biology and the skills to manage your bees through the four seasons, including disease management, will be covered. We will also demonstrate equipment assembly and honey extraction. All lectures are presented by local beekeepers with years of collective knowledge. Whether you are interested in keeping your own colonies, or simply wanting to know more about these fascinating and necessary creatures and their wonderful product – honey – this easy-to-follow course will open a new door into the natural world for you.
$75/person includes class and the book, First Lessons in Beekeeping. Children must be ages 12+ and accompanied by an adult.
Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pikes-peak-beekeeping-class-2026-tickets-1827284640549?aff=oddtdtcreator
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
The puppets are back for the series, “As the Bear Creek Flows” puppet show! You’ll learn about the herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores of Bear Creek. Come prepared for a short, winter hike.
Suggested $2 per person or $5 per family donation.
Enjoy an interactive puppet show then join the Bunny Guide to search for eggs on the trail and exchange your finds for a chocolate bunny! Fun and educational; meet live bunnies! Ages 2+. $6 per child // $5 per member child. 2 free adults per child. Additional adults, please register. Prepaid registration required.
Join us for a two-part session class and birding walk for Intermediate Birders! Ready to take your birding up a notch? Join Aiken Audubon’s Mary Wilson to sharpen your ID skills, dive deeper into bird behavior and habitats, brush up on birding ethics/history, and explore gear and field guide options. This course will feature class time on a weekday evening followed by birding in the field the next weekend; it is open to birders of all levels, but an introductory level of bird knowledge is preferred. $10/person or $8/member for both classes
Be a steward of our parks and join the Restoration Crew at Bear Creek Nature Center. Work includes trail maintenance, introduced species removal, fire mitigation, and habitat restoration. Varying levels of work available at each workday. Email kyleetaylor2@elpasoco.com to join!
Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind in collaboration with Bear Creek Nature Center will be providing a fun and educational Early Literacy Event for families with deaf and hard of hearing children from birth to 8 years old. We will read a book in American Sign Language (and learn new signs too!), learn about wildlife in summer, and do fun, learning activities that also includes a short nature walk. The event also provides a wonderful opportunity for the families with deaf and hard of hearing children to build connections with other families and meet deaf and hard of hearing adults. An American Sign Language Interpreter will be provided. Free to attend! Register by emailing outreach@csdb.org
Get up close with the birds of Bear Creek with Dr. Claire Ramos and students from Colorado State University Pueblo at this one-day banding station! Our flock welcomes all– no birding experience required. Binoculars and field guides available to borrow from the Nature Center. Subject to change during cold weather for the safety of the birds. $5/person or $4/member. Recommended ages 8+. Prepaid registration required.
Caregivers, drop your child (ages 7-12) off to join a flock of children for a morning of bird-focused educational fun! Participants will hike, play games, and visit a bird-banding station, giving them an opportunity to see real birds up close! Lunch included. $25 per child, $20 per member child. Prepaid registration required.
These programs are for our homeschooling friends! Two programs will run simultaneously– one for younger children and the other for older children, so you can bring the whole family. Children 8 and up may be dropped off, children 7 and under must have a caregiver attend with them. $4 per person, prepaid registration required.
Join Christoher Robin and that “Silly Old Bear,” Winnie the Pooh, for a cozy adventure perfect for young audiences ages 0-10. We’ll search for honey, do some exercise and take a balloon ride with Pooh Bear. We’ll also make a honey bee craft, throw a make-believe party and tumble along the nature center trail with the characters. Wigglers welcome! $10/person, prepaid registration required
320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, CO 80817
719-520-6745
Explore nature with your 3-6 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Celebrate the quiet beauty of winter with artist Saraiya Kanning in this drawing class focused on the expressive forms of bare trees. Using graphite pencils and ink, participants will explore techniques for rendering bark textures, branch structures, and winter light through line, shading, and composition. All levels welcome- whether you’re new to drawing or looking to deepen your observation skills, this class offers space to connect with nature and creativity.
$40/participant. Pre-registration required.
Artists as young as 7 are welcome with an adult. Students can bring their own supplies from the list provided or bring an additional $5 supply fee to class.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
This course will take youth/teens through the process of interpreting tracks and signs from common wildlife. Topics include foot shape/morphology, animal behavior, and gait/movement patterns. Instructor Shane Cote has experience with multiple CyberTracker evaluations and is an instructor for The Survival University in Colorado.
$10 per child. Prepaid registration is required. Parents may attend but do not need to register or pay.
Let’s talk about plants, baby! Plants have some pretty amazing tricks up their stems. Beyond the beauty, smells, and tastes we appreciate daily, we’ll see when plants are weird, ruthless, and deadly. You’ll make some herbal infusions to sip while you learn plant facts that will give you new appreciation for our photosynthetic pals.
$4 per member, $5 per nonmember. Prepaid registration is required.
Explore nature with your 3-6 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Build a nesting box for common backyard birds, learn who they are and their calls. An adult able to handle tools must accompany children. Bring a hammer and pliers if you have them. Other materials provided. $10/ member kit, $12/non-member kit.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Use your senses to explore the wetland and learn about the animals that live here. Enjoy a puppet show, animal inquiry activity, and a guided hike. Designed for grades K-2. $4 per person. Prepaid registration required.
We’ve almost survived the school year, now it’s time to learn how to survive in the wild. Over the course of the week, campers will learn how to navigate themselves through the wilderness, build shelters and fires, and be able to identify dangers. By the end of the week, campers will feel more confident and secure when out in nature!
$165 per child/$155 per member child. Designed for grades 1-5. Prepaid registration required.
Explore nature with your 3-6 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Meet a live rabbit, learn about rabbits via a fun, interactive slide show, then hunt for eggs as you hike through the woods. For children ages 2-10 with an adult. $6 per child, $5 per member child. Prepaid reservations required.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Become a steward of our parks and join the new Fountain Creek Nature Center Restoration Crew. This group will conduct quarterly restoration trainings and projects including native landscaping, trail maintenance, and invasive species removal. Varying levels of difficulty for each project. Email andytalley@elpasoco.com to join
Explore the five habitats and discover how they are shaped by water at Fountain Creek Regional Park. Watch a short video, do a wetland metaphor activity, and go for a hike with a pond study. Designed for grades 3-6. $4 per person. Prepaid registration required.
We’re throwing a birthday party for Grandfather Cottonwood to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day this spring! After a short presentation, participants will help remove trash and invasive plant species from areas along the nature trail. Later we’ll meet under the branches of Grandfather Cottonwood for a sweet treat and pollinator friendly craft.
Best for ages 8+. Prepaid registration is required. $5 per person/$4 per member
Pre-registration is required for most programs. Space may be limited. General cancellation policy: No refunds are given for public program registrations unless the program is cancelled by the Nature Centers. In the case of severe or dangerous weather staff may deem the conditions unsafe and may reschedule or cancel an event or program. All refunds will be paid by check. Check refunds may take 3-4 weeks to process.
