Greene

Celebrate Missouri's most magical insect at Fireflies at Farmers Park! Stop by the garden area of Farmers Park anytime between 5:30 and 9:30 pm. Bring your family to make a firefly craft, play firefly games, and learn why fireflies blink. Come closer to 9 pm to catch fireflies. Nature Center staff and volunteers will be around to answer questions and offer fun facts. Check out the live band and food vendors at the Farmers Park courtyard, too. All ages.

Pinch pinch! Whether you call them crawdads, mudbugs, crayfish, crawfish, or something else entirely, these water invertebrates are a ton of fun. We'll view live crayfish and learn about their life cycle.

Meet us at the Lake Springfield Boathouse for a few hours of fun on the water. Learn kayaking techniques, then put them to the test on the lake. We will paddle 2–4 miles, looking for wildlife along the way. Please bring a water bottle. All equipment, snacks, extra drinking water, life jackets, and sunscreen will be provided.

Pinch pinch! Whether you call them crawdads, mudbugs, crayfish, crawfish, or something else entirely, these water invertebrates are a ton of fun. We'll view live crayfish and learn about their life cycle.

Join us at the Nature Center as we celebrate National Trails Day! Stop by the front desk to pick up a question sheet, then take a self-guided hike along our scenic trails and play trivia along the way. All ages.

Join us for a virtual journey through the skies as we explore Missouri’s birds of prey. Please include a valid email address when you register so we can send you a virtual program link. This program will not be recorded.

Ancestral Skills Specialist Don Brink will demonstrate how to start a fire without matches and butane. Learn multiple methods of fire-starting and try your hand at this age-old skill. All ages.

Join Naturalist Sam Grove to learn about cave biology, cave ethics, and how to safely go caving. Meet at the Nature Center for an indoor presentation, then carpool to an MDC-owned cave near Springfield. No prior caving experience is required, but participants must be able to climb and crawl. Bring an extra change of clothes and shoes.