Beavers, groundhogs, and bears, OH MY! Did you know that groundhogs build separate rooms in their underground homes just like we do?
Mary Uminski – Early Childhood Programs Manager at Conner Prairie – taught us tons of fun critter facts during our Prairie Tykes Happy Hibernating class the other week.
Now that winter has shown up, finding new indoor activities for my two year old is a struggle. We visit the Discovery Station once a week and had been given a flyer to join a Prairie Tykes class. The timing could not have been more perfect – I could almost hear the angels singing. The subject for their upcoming Prairie Tykes class was about animals in their natural habitat, a subject that has fascinated my daughter Sophie since she received her first subscription of Ranger Rick Jr.
The Prairie Tykes program offers a few different classes each month, all designed for preschoolers ages 2-5 and their parents or grandparents. The description states there’s plenty of crafts, dancing, singing and more, which we completely enjoyed.
Mary did a fantastic job keeping the toddlers’ attention while reading books and singing songs. She was also incredibly patient with the varying levels of skill during the Groundhog Habitat craft project (we made a groundhog that pops up out of his burrow!)
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The class lasts an hour and a half, which is a long time to keep toddlers entertained, but Mary kept their little minds engaged and happy! The program has been serving the community for 20 years and continues to improve each year. I think Prairie Tykes was the perfect mix of educational and physical learning and Sophie had a blast.
So go check it out! There are still a few tickets left for the Valentine’s Day Party on the 11th and 12th where they’ll have holiday themed crafts and activities. But if you can’t make that, there is plenty more Prairie Tyke fun planned this year.
MORE INFO: Conner Prairie is located in Fishers at 13400 Allisonville Rd. Their Prairie Tykes classes run every second and fourth Thursday and Friday of each month. Admission is $12/youth ($11/member). Call {317} 776-6000 or visit their website for more details. A special thank you to Conner Prairie for arranging this visit.
Shelly Bergman is a freelance writer who began writing in 2013 after the birth of her daughter. After being away from Indiana for 6 years, she has brought her family back to the place her heart belongs. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Indy, working on projects for her new home, or planning yet another Disney vacation. Above all, her deepest passion is her family. She loves adventuring with her travel sidekick Sophie (2), playing board games with her husband Jeffrey, and enjoying the park with her dog Lexi. When she’s not crafting or writing for her blog DIY Mama she is working as a personal home organizer. Follow along in her adventures at @shellybergman on Instagram or @shelly_bergman on Twitter.
