This article was written b y Jeannette Lutter-Gardella, Nature Center Outdoor Educator, North Mississippi Regional Park
Happy New Year from the newly renamed Kroening Nature Center at North Mississippi Regional Park! The previous name of Interpretive Center was officially retired in November 2021.
In addition to the new name, I will be the new face you will see when you visit. My name is Jeanette Lutter-Gardella, and I am thrilled to be at North Mississippi Regional Park as the Nature Center Outdoor Educator.
My background is in education, as a middle school teacher, a school readiness instructional coordinator and as a school administrator. Having access to nature is everyone’s birthright and a source for well-being. The natural world is a great classroom and nature itself is a fabulous teacher. North Mississippi Regional park is where play and learning are one and the same. Stop by and visit the beautifully remodeled Kroening Nature Center. I look forward to meeting you. We have many programs designed for all ages.
We are also an Adventure Hub – and outdoor exploration kits are Free!
Snowshoes | Trekking Poles | Fort Building | Outdoor Art Materials | Bird Watching | Animal Tracking | Stargazing
Family Funday: Northern Life
Sun. 1/23 1–3 p.m. All Ages
Get outside for active, nature fun in the park! Explore a different seasonal theme each week through self-directed: scavenger hunts, nature walks, and bird watching or animal tracking.
Playtime – Every Wednesday, 9:30-10:30am
Nature Nuts: Nature Playtime
Every Wed. 9:30–10:30 a.m. $2 Ages 2–8 with an adult
Bring your little one outside for imaginative play activities curated by a naturalist. Discover seasonal themes, cultivate curiosity, and encourage exploration.
Nature Nuts: Tots
Two Sun. every month 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. $2 Ages 2–6 with adult
1/9 Under the Ice 1/23 Canine Club
Bird Watching: Winter Woodpeckers
Sat. 1/8 3–4:30 p.m. Ages 8+
Winter is a wonderful time to be on the lookout for the bright flashes of woodpeckers on the bare trees. Join a naturalist for a bird watching walk in the park to seek out and learn about Minnesota’s winter woodpeckers
Outdoors: Winter Survival Challenge
Sat. 1/15 1:30–3 p.m. All Ages
Build shelters, maneuver through obstacles, and seek out hidden clues in the wild while discovering strategies Minnesota animals use to survive the winter. Then enjoy hot cocoa and a treat by a winter campfire.
Full Moon Snowshoe Hike
Tue. 1/18 6:30–8 p.m. $3 Ages 8+
Enjoy the stillness of a winter evening and practice spotting signs of wildlife with only the light of the moon. Then warm up next to a winter campfire!
Noticing Nature on Snowshoes
Sat. 1/22 3–4:30 p.m. Ages 8+
Strap on a pair of snowshoes and take a peaceful hike through the park with a naturalist guide to hone your nature observation abilities. Become grounded in nature while appreciating its ever-changing elements along our prairie, woodland, and river trails!
Animal Tracking by Snowshoe
Thu. 1/27 1–2:30 p.m. Ages 18+
First learn the basics of identifying local animal signs, and then put on pair of snowshoes to make some tracks of your own. Hike the park in snowshoes with a naturalist to examine the clues animals leave behind and decipher the story they might tell.
Nature Art: Winter Arts & Animals
Sat. 1/29 10:30 a.m.–noon All Ages
Come learn about our neighborhood native species. Meet some MN animals up-close, then let nature inspire your creation of winter themed artwork to take home.