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Children learn about winter wildlife at Mill Creek Park program
special program for children available at Mill Creek MetroParks
YOUNGSTOWN
Even during the cold winter months, there’s much to see and explore in nature.
That’s the message that Mill Creek MetroParks Naturalist Marilyn Williams hoped to get across to the group of kids who gathered recently for “Children’s Nature Hour” at Ford Nature Center.
The children listened attentively to a story read by Williams, eagerly scanned the outdoors for signs of wildlife and happily strung together bird snacks made of Cheerios and cranberries.
“It’s always important to get the kids interested in nature,” said Williams, “There’s so much to see and learn and explore – and winter is no different.”
Ana Wetzl of Boardman had a similar thought in mind when she brought her 3-year-old son, Zoltan, to the program.
“He needs to learn about nature from an early age, and he’s already curious about nature,” she said.
The pair frequently comes to MetroParks programs, Wetzl said.
“He loves the stories. Sometimes they have special activities outside like hikes,” she said.
Mary Jo Nyers of Poland, too, brings her grandchildren to the park on a regular basis. She raved about what the MetroParks has to offer.
“We take advantage of a lot of the Mill Creek programs because they like nature and birds,” she said of her grandchildren, Myka and Nathan Wilson, age 5 and 3.
They enjoy “everything,” Nyers said. “The activities. Interacting with nature. They’re typical for their age: great sense of curiosity and wonder.”
Myka and Nathan were among the most-enthusiastic participants in last week’s program, with Nathan happily mimicking the “chickadee-dee-dee” noises made by the birds named for the sounds of their chirps.
“They’re so cute!” he exclaimed, as Williams showed them a picture
of a chickadee in “Stranger in the Woods,” a children’s book by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick.
“Most of these, we can see right here in Mill Creek Park,” Williams said of the winter animals that the book describes.
Despite a downpour that kept them from a hike, the kids went outside to put some food out for the chickadees.
Williams stressed to them the importance of feeding only certain foods to animals. For example, white bread is unhealthy for wildlife. Instead, you should offer snacks such as seeds and nuts to birds, she said.
“It is good to help our animals in the wintertime, because it’s hard to find food in the snow,” she said.
She hoped the kids came away with an appreciation for what winter has to offer.
“I always say, each season is different. Each day is different,” Williams said. “There’s always something new to see and explore.”