Get ready to embrace the great outdoors, Eden Prairie citizens, as the Outdoor Center has announced an array of winter programs that are sure to draw families and nature enthusiasts alike. Kicking things off, the center will host a "Nature Rocks! Open House" every Saturday, allowing visitors of all ages to explore the facility, check out the resident critters, and learn about upcoming events all for free - no need to sign up, just show up any Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and dive into the fun.
For those with a curious appetite, the "Feed Me!" event on February 17 offers a peek at what brunch looks like for the center's animals, including a celery-eating turtle named Missy, snakes enjoying their feast, and a flying squirrel with a sweet tooth for mealworms, it's a display of nature's diverse dining habits from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., intended for kids aged 4 and up accompanied by an adult, as previously detailed.
Moonstruck hikers can join the center's "Moon Hike: Snow and Ice" on February 24 for a 6:30-8 p.m. enchanted walk under the full moon. Accompanied by a naturalist, hikers aged 5 and above will uncover the stories behind the moon's various epithets and roam the crisp winter trails, with the moon's glow for guidance; participation requires prior sign-up to ensure a spot on this lunar adventure.
For the stargazers, the Staring Lake Observatory invites patrons aged 8 and older to peer through a 16-inch telescope during "Star Watch Astronomy" nights, where an astronomer will both guide the observations and answer cosmic queries as stardust from Eden Prairie's night sky is brought into focus when the weather doesn't cooperate, the astronomer trades the telescope for a digital display indoors, providing a virtual tour of the heavenly bodies that sparkle above us. The observatory's sessions are slated for February 24 with "Take a Spin Around the Winter Circle" and March 22 for "The Jewels of Winter," start gaze into the wonders of the universe set against the backdrop of Minnesota's crisp winter night as noted in an official announcement.
