Youth Classes and Field Trips with Southern Maryland Audubon Society
Southern Maryland Audubon Society invites families and youths to share our love of birds and nature!
Our Youth Outreach team shares its enthusiasm for our feathered friends, an energy that sparks joy and curiosity. We also teach young people about healthy habitats for all wildlife.
Kids are natural explorers and birding is awe-inspiring! It gives us a sense of place and gets us outside to explore our neighborhoods, towns, parks, and forests. Walking and connecting with nature has health benefits, too.
Join our field trips designed for kids and families, or sign up for one of our spring or fall classes. We offer fun activities that combine the outdoors and nature, but they are not limited to birds!
Lots of kids attended our class The Buzz about Native Bees and Other Pollinators. We began that one with an indoor lecture followed by an outside adventure to capture bees and insects. We also learned about the Monarch butterfly. The little ones loved our craft table!
We have offered many other lessons, such as Birding 101, Birds on the Move: Migration, Bird Beaks and Adaptations, and Signs of Fall and Nature Journaling. Owls of Southern Maryland is a favorite. After discussing local owl species, we dissect owl pellets, which is always a hit!
Please watch our Events page for future field trips and programs. In addition, our Youth Outreach team would be thrilled to share their passion and expertise with your group. You can choose one of the programs mentioned above, or we can work with you to develop a new one. Feel free to contact us if you have questions or would like to schedule a class.
How Can You Start Birding with Kids?
Check out the National Audubon Society website Easy Ways to Get Kids Birding at https://www.audubon.org/news/easy-ways-get-kids-birding. Don’t miss the article about kid-friendly bird field guides at https://www.audubon.org/news/six-kid-friendly-bird-guides. A solid field guide will give youths a head start in identifying common species. Want to use your smart phone in the field? Go to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s page for Best Apps for Birding with Kids at https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/best-apps-for-birding-with-kids/.
Also go to Science & Nature Activities for Cooped up Kids, another great resource from The Cornell Lab at https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/science-nature-activities-for-cooped-up-kids/. National Audubon Society has ten weeks of kids activities at https://www.audubon.org/get-outside/activities/audubon-for-kids.
Discover the amazing world of birds and the magic that nature can bring to your kids and family.
Hummingbirds
by Betty Sage
I think it is a funny thing
That some birds whistle, others sing.
The Warbler warbles in his throat,
The Sparrow only knows one note;
But he is better off than some,
For Hummingbirds can only hum.
All photos on this page by Lynne Wheeler.