Open your door and step out into a natural world of adventure! When our experts can’t lead you in person, these resources will guide your journey to enjoy your nearest green spaces.
Self-Guided (Kids)
Three Bridges Park Bingo
Head to the Urban Ecology Center's Menomonee Valley branch and explore Three Bridges Park. Bring this scavenger hunt with you and see if you can get a bingo!
Self-Guided (Adults)
Spectacular Wildflowers of Summer Guided Hike
Summer fun has arrived! Let's explore what's living in the wild spaces of Milwaukee and meet the spectacular wildflowers of summer with this self-guided hike through the Milwaukee Rotary Centennial Arboretum!
Cool Finds
Stag Beetle Discovery
A group of summer campers discovered a pair of particularly interesting beetles. Meet Ted and Jessica, the stag beetles!
Self-Guided (Adults)
Botany Walk: Black-eyed Susan
Join Jeff Veglahn, Land Steward at our Menomonee Valley branch, atop our green roof to learn more about how to identify Black-eyed Susan and the origin story of its scientific name.
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Urban Habitats
Go outside and try to find these different habitats in your neighborhood. Once you have found them, write what could possibly live in that habitat under the photo.
Puppet Adventures
Learn about Wetlands with Oscar
What are wetlands? What lives in the wetlands? And why are they so important? Learn about wetlands with our puppet friend Oscar.
Self-Guided (Adults)
Botany Walk: Smooth penstemon
Join Jeff Veglahn, Land Steward at Menomonee Valley, in this virtual botany walk as he identifies and talks about Smooth penstemon (Penstemon digitalis)
Puppet Adventures
Learn about storms with Thizo
What are clouds? How do they form? And what are lightnings and thunder? Learn about storms with our puppet friend Thizo (Contenido en español también)
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Leaves of Trees
Try to find as many leaves as you can from this BINGO card.
Puppet Adventures
Flower Power with Thizo
Learn the many different parts of a flower as Thizo introduces you to a tulip he found. (Contenido en español también)
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Neighborhood Walk
Enjoy this Neighborhood Walk BINGO card by Environmental Educator Kirsten Maier! (Contenido en español también)
Puppet Adventures
Bugsy's Guide to Metamorphosis
Hi friends! Bugsy here, and I wanted to talk to you about a little process called Metamorphosis. (Contenido en español también)
Cool Finds
Nature Connects Us All:
Coloring Page
We miss you and look forward to going on in-person adventures with you when we can. In the meantime, let’s find creative ways to connect! Download & print this coloring page for kids and adults alike. Show off your coloring skills and love for connecting to nature by placing your masterpiece in your window. We’d also love to see your creation! Use #UECinmybackyard when you post on social media.
Self-Guided (Kids)
Nature Photography Bingo
Can you win Bingo by taking a photo that has the following items? Enjoy this Scavenger Hunt created by Environmental Educator, Annie Ela. (Contenido en español también)
Cool Finds
Cool Finds with Regina
Environmental Educator, Regina Miller, finds a lot of cool animals and plants in her backyard and nearby areas. Here are her recent cool finds.
Puppet Adventures
Introducing… the UEC Puppet Pack!
Meet your new virtual best friends! The Puppet Pack is a crew of creatures that is here to help you explore the outdoors in creative ways and teach you what they know about nature.
Puppet Adventures
Presentando... al equipo de Marionetas del UEC!
¡Conoce a tus nuevos mejores amigos virtuales! El equipo de Marionetas está compuesto por criaturas que están aquí para ayudarte a explorar el aire libre de una manera creativa y enseñarte lo que saben sobre la naturaleza. Cada marioneta tiene su propia personalidad, con intereses y pasatiempos únicos con muchas actividades divertidas.
Puppet Adventures
Oh, Fiddleheads!
Wetlands are a distinct ecosystem that floods during some seasons. Learn all the biodiversity that grows in them with Boxer, the Box Turtle.
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Properties
Have fun with this Properties Scavenger Hunt created by Environmental Educator, Alex LaBonte! Remember properties are traits or characteristics of all the things around us. Don’t forget your science eyes!
Self-Guided (Kids)
Juego de Búsqueda - Propiedades
¡Diviértete con esta búsqueda del tesoro de propiedades creada por la educadora ambiental, Alex LaBonte! Recuerda que las propiedades son rasgos o características de todas las cosas que nos rodean. ¡No olvides tus ojos científicos!
Cool Finds
Red-Headed Woodpecker
Red-Headed Woodpeckers are a welcome sight in southern Wisconsin and are much less common then your backyard Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The last time a Red-Headed Woodpecker was seen in Washington Park was in 2016 and we just saw one at the park (mid-May 2020)! Look for this beautiful bird drilling for insects and also catching insects in the air like other insect eating birds.
Cool Finds
American Bittern
American Bitterns are masters of camouflage typically hiding in the tall grasses along water bodies.They are often heard and not seen and their call is a deep gulping noise. Photo taken at Washington Park by Environmental Educator, Alex LaBonte.
Puppet Adventures
Bean Sprouts with a Box Turtle
Hello! Where have you BEAN? I’ve been hoping some friends would join me in my explorations! I see so many new sprouts popping up out of the spring ground. And I’ve wanted to see what’s below to be found!
So today I’m going to plant a seed and see if it germinates.
Puppet Adventures
Sprouting Seeds with Boxer
Follow the adventures of Boxer, as he is checking out some seedlings that are just popping up out of the dirt!
Cool Finds
American Goldfinch
American Goldfinches are one of the strictest vegetarians amongst birds as their diet consists almost entirely of plant based food. Photo taken at Washington Park by Environmental Educator, Alex LaBonte.
Self-Guided (Adults)
Botany Walk: Apple Serviceberry
Join Jeff Veglahn, Land Steward at Menomonee Valley, in this virtual botany walk as he identifies and talks about the Apple Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora). It's a naturally occurring hybrid between downy serviceberry (AmelanchLinkier arborea) and Alleghany Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis).
Self-Guided (Adults)
Beautiful Birds of Milwaukee
Leave your reference material (especially audio recordings) at home and let Environmental Educator Matt Flower lead you through a bird experience!
Self-Guided (Adults)
Backyard Birding Blitz Bingo
Find bird by using the four common ways to identify them! Behavior, Habitat, Color Pattern and Size and Shape
Self-Guided (Kids)
The Life of Birds: Parent Guide
Parents, use this activity guide to explore the lives of birds with your children! (Contenido en español también)
Self-Guided (Kids)
Juego de Búsqueda - Rocas
Take this Rock Scavenger Hunt created by Environmental Educator Kirsten Maier. Disfruta esta búsqueda del tesoro de rocas creada por la educadora ambiental Kirsten Maier. (Contenido en español)
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Backyard Bugs
Let's go on a backyard bugs scavenger hunt! Created by Environmental Educator Kirsten Maier. (Contenido en español también)
Self-Guided (Adults)
Best Practices for Trash Pickup
Check out this video about picking up trash when you go for walks through your neighborhood.
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Nature Patterns and Shapes
Let's see what shapes and patterns you can find in nature. Scavenger Hunt created by Environmental Educator Brynne Drohan
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Buds
Let's see what buds we can find! Designed by Environmental Educator Tory Bahe. (Contenido en español también)
Self-Guided (Adults)
Botany Walk: Cut-leaf toothwort and Common wood violet
Learn about native plants in this virtual botany walk led by Land Steward, Jeff Veglahn. Featured in this video: Cut-leaf toothwort (Dentaria laciniata) and Common wood violet (Viola sororia).
Self-Guided (Adults)
Wonderful Flowers of Milwaukee
Let's explore the wild spaces of Milwaukee and meet the wonderful wildflowers of spring! Self-guided walk through Riverside Park by Environmental Educator Matt Flower.
Self-Guided (Adults)
Terrific Trees Walk
Get to know the trees of Riverside Park in this insightful self-guided walk made by Environmental Educator Matt Flower.
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Signs of Spring
Signs of spring BINGO card by Environmental Educator Kirsten Maier! (Contenido en español también)
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Common Birds
Take this Common Birds scavenger hunt challenge, created by Environmental Educator Kirsten Maier. (Contenido en español también)
Self-Guided (Adults)
Staff Picks: Local Natural Areas to Enjoy
Excellent recommendations from our staff on local, accessible natural areas where you can enjoy nature right now!
Cool Finds
Take a Virtual Nature Walk with Chad!
Come along on a "virtual nature walk" with our Environmental Educator, Chad Thomack, and hear stories about his recent discoveries in nature!
Cool Finds
Cecropia Moth Cocoon
Environmental Educator Brynne Drohan found this along the Menomonee River!
Cool Finds
Look for Bright Green Mosses
Environmental Educator, Regina Miller, found this brilliant green moss in a local park!
Cool Finds
Early Flowers of Spring
See Pasqueflowers, Virginia bluebells and Sharp-lobed Hepatica discovered by Land Stewards Drew Vandegrift, Michaela Rosenthal and Kim Forbeck.
Self-Guided (Kids)
Scavenger Hunt: Milwaukee County Parks
There are over 150 Milwaukee County Parks, and they remain open! Take the Scavenger Hunt, created by Environmental Educator Miguel Santos, and explore the trails! We encourage you to visit the parks near home that you can easily reach on foot or bike, rather than driving.
(Contenido en español también)
Check back soon for more great content!
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