Get Up Close and Personal With Snakes, Reptiles and Turtles at Lake Katherine Nature Center

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL -- Snakes, reptiles and turtles take center stage for the month of March at Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens in Palos Heights this month.

Throughout March, curious children and adults are invited to get out of their comfort zones by venturing up close to the resident critters of Lake Katherine during a series of informative nature programs.

A Junior Explorers program on Wednesday, March 22 will give children from kindergarten to grade 2 an opportunity to hold and feed turtles and compare their similarities and differences. Likewise a choice of three Little Explorers programs between Thursday, March 23 and Saturday March 25, gives preschoolers the chance to get up close to Lake Katherine’s resident turtles.

A special Homeschool Day on Thursday, March 16, will also give kindergarten to grade 5 children an introduction to the unique movements and habits of Illinois snakes. All children’s programs cost $6 per child.

Inquisitive grown-ups can also learn about local reptiles and amphibians by attending an adult education evening on Wednesday March 22nd. Natural Resources Committee Member Melissa Drozd will lead a Snakes n' Such Adult Education Class and introduce some of Lake Katherine’s captive snakes and turtles.

“Reptiles, snakes and turtles sometimes elicit a fear or uneasy response but empathy for our natural world only comes with knowledge and interaction,” says Lake Katherine’s operations manager Gareth Blakesley. “We hope that inviting people of all ages to get up close to our critters will help encourage an understanding of what truly beautiful, fascinating and essential creatures they really are.”

The Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens is located at 7402 W. Lake Katherine Drive, Palos Heights.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Homeschool Day - Snakes (Grade K-5)
Thursday March 16, 1pm - 2.30pm. $6 per child
Learn the characteristics of reptiles such as snakes. Through a variety of activities children will understand the unique movements and habits of a few of our Illinois snakes. If the parents and children are willing a snake may be held. Registration deadline is March 9, 2017.
How to book: Stop by the Nature Center to preregister quoting program 572.

Junior Explorers - Meet a Turtle (Grade K-2)
Wednesday, March 22, 4pm. - 5pm. $6 per child
We will look closely at the turtles in the nature center to see their similarities, and differences. Children will hold and help feed the turtles.
How to book: Stop by the Nature Center to preregister quoting program 567.

Snakes n' Such Adult Education Class
Wednesday March 22, 6:30pm - 7:30pm, $6 per person.
Learn about our local reptiles and amphibians, and meet some of our resident animals. Natural Resources Committee Member Melissa Drozd will lead a talk about local critters and will show some of our captive snakes and turtles. Over 18s program.
How to book: Stop by the Nature Center to preregister.

Little Explorers - Turtles
March 23, 24 or 25, $6 per child
Preschoolers and their favorite adult will look closely at the turtles in the nature center to see their similarities, and differences. Children will hold and help feed the turtles.
Preregistration and payment of $6 per child is required. Space is limited.

Program # Date Time
554 Thursday March 23 9:30am -10:30am
555 Friday March 24 9:30am -10:30am
556 Saturday March 25 10:30am -11:30am