Park Packs
Eleven nature themed backpacks were designed to help families, scout groups, home schoolers, and other groups explore the wonders of nature around them.
Each pack comes with a field guide and a variety of activities and fun facts to assist in the discovery of the specific nature topic.
WAYS TO USE A PARK PACK
- Take on a camping trip with your family.
- Use with a youth group.
- Take on day trips or weeklong vacations.
- Use in your backyard or local park.
- Use with home schooled children.
CHECK OUT A PARK PACK: FREE for up to 2 weeks!
To reserve your Park Pack today, call the Jester Park Nature Center: (515)-323-5350
Pick up Park Packs:
Jester Park Nature Center Front Desk,
12130 NW 128th St, Granger, IA 50109
M - F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Park Pack Themes
Animals of Iowa
Learn to identify animal tracks, feel furs, play a habitat game and sing the habitat song in this activity packed park pack.
Birds
Binoculars, field guide, bird identifier and fun birding activities are included in this park pack. This pack has sponsored by the Des Moines Audubon Society.
Creatures of the Night
Bats, frog calls, firefly talk and Owl calling are just some of the creature topics included in this park pack of the night.
Geology Rocks
Discover the different types of rocks in your local park or backyard. Make a chalk drawing or sand art picture. Find your favorite rock and make a fossil rub.
Insect Safari
Use net, bug cubes and insect field guide to discover the variety of insects in your backyard or local park. Learn to dance like a bee, create your own bug song, and build your very own bug.
Life in a Pond
Use the aquatic animal matching cards to discover the variety of animal life in the pond. Write water messages on stones, make the frog sounds of a wetland. Enjoy Billie B’s Romp in the Swamp cd and boogie down to the beat!
Outdoor Skills
Practice your orienteering skills, take a hike and make your own map, learn how to tie a variety of knots, and learn important outdoor ethics.
Prairies
Listen to the sounds of the prairie, create prairie artistry, play a prairie camouflage game, identify prairie plants and flowers.
Treeific Trees
Play the tree board game, measure the height and width of the largest tree in your area. Use the tree leaf stamps to create your own field guide, build a human tree and boogie down with Billie B as he sings about trees. This pack sponsored by the Iowa Arbor Society.
Wildflowers and Plants
Go on your own wildflower hunt, make a leaf imprint with leaf pounding, read how to plant a rainbow and build a sunflower house in this activity packed bag.
Winter Wonders (Seasonal Pack)
Catch and compare snowflakes, tunnel through snow like a rodent, learn a blizzard survival skill, and create winter art. Eat snow ice cream, feed birds, and learn to interpret clues in the wintery landscape.
Geocaching
Learn how to Geocache. 2 GPS units are downloaded with Polk County Park cache coordinates. Use the several Geocaching reference books included in the pack to learn about Geocaching.
