The Gloucester County Department of Parks and Recreation is educating children on nature and the environment with a Nature Tots series at Scotland Run Park’s nature center in Clayton.
The Nature Tots program is designed for children 3 and older and is an opportunity for the kids to explore something new and unique within nature. The free program focuses on one topic per session and includes a related arts-and-crafts project.
“Our Nature Tots program is a way to expose young children to our parks system and the environment around them,” Commissioner Director Frank J. DiMarco said. “Scotland Run Park is a great resource for the county’s educational programs.
“Our nature center was recently remodeled and features live animals such as snakes, aquatic ecosystems, frogs and more,” DiMarco added. “When weather permits, the Nature Tots classes take advantage of the walking trails located behind the nature center and sometimes visit Wilson Lake on the grounds of the park.”
Classes are held every other Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. The upcoming schedule includes:
- Feb. 1: Fish
- Feb. 15: Orchids
- March 1: Tiger beetles
- March 15: Spring birds
Each session will be hosted by Dr. Dan Duran, Scotland Run Park’s naturalist. Duran is also an assistant professor at Rowan University, and DiMarco noted the importance of having the programs linked to the local university.
