Goldenrod, goats, butterflies and bats! Join Adkins Arboretum’s preschool program this fall, and engage your young child with nature. Led by Arboretum Youth Program Coordinator Jenny Houghton, this popular series of eight classes for three- to five-year-olds is offered on Tuesday mornings beginning Sept. 18.

Registration is required for preschool programs. The fee is $60 for members, $75 for the general public for all eight classes in the series. A $10 discount is offered for siblings. Classes run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and include a craft and a healthy snack. Enrollment is limited, so early registration is recommended. For more information or to register, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

Programs include:

Meet Lily—Tues., Sept. 18
Visit the Arboretum’s goat herd, led by the lovely Lily, and learn how goats are used to eat troublesome weeds. Children will make goat puppets, sample goat milk, and have their picture taken with Lily.

Monarch Migration—Tues., Sept. 25
Make a wish on a fluffy milkweed seed and learn about the beautiful monarch butterflies whose caterpillars depend on milkweed for food. Children will use hand lenses to examine monarch chrysalises in the meadow, make a butterfly craft, and enjoy books about monarch travels with their snack.

Teddy Bear Picnic—Tues., Oct. 2
Children and their teddy bear friends are invited to a forest picnic! The morning will include a bear hunt along woodland paths (bears rarely wander to the Eastern Shore, but it’s still fun to look), bear songs, and a teddy bear bandana craft.

Glorious Goldenrod—Tues., Oct. 9
Goldenrod is often blamed for sniffles and sneezes, but this lovely flower is actually not a trigger for fall allergies. Children will look for goldenrod in the meadow and gather flowers to press for a long-lasting bouquet.

Nuts for Squirrels—Tues., Oct. 16
Are you nuts for squirrels? Learn about these furry forest friends and welcome fall with a forest squirrel search. Children will create squirrel napkin rings and listen to an acorn story while munching on nutty snacks.

The Leaves on the Trees—Tues., Oct. 23
Celebrate fall colors by learning about leaves on a forest scavenger hunt. Children will sort leaves by shape and color, rake leaves into a gigantic leaf pile, and make leaf creatures to take home.

Going Batty—Tues., Oct. 30
Bats: terrifying vampires or cuddly Stellalunas? Learn the facts about the world’s only flying mammal and try navigating the meadow bat-style. Activities will include a bat mobile craft and Halloween-themed snacks and stories.

Scouts and Maidens—Tues., Nov. 6
Who were the first people to live on the Eastern Shore? Children will learn about the Woodland Indians through creative play, taking part in a Native American corn game, collecting sticks for a pretend campfire, and exploring the Paw Paw Playground wigwams.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. Through its Campaign to Build a Green Legacy, the Arboretum will build a new LEED-certified Arboretum Center and entranceway to broaden educational offerings and research initiatives promoting best practices in conservation and land stewardship. For additional information about Arboretum programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

In photo: Adkins Arboretum Youth Program Coordinator Jenny Houghton will lead a series of nature programs for preschoolers beginning Tues., Sept. 18.