The Wood County Park District provides hands-on education for all ages with public and requested programs! Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Program, nature camps, farm camp, tours, iNaturalist, heritage skills, preschoolers in the parks, naturalist-led hikes, and so much more.
Register for some of our great programs and events.
You can also check out our Volunteer Website to begin contributing to your community and your parks as a whole.
Interested in a school program at your school or a field trip to one of our great locations?
We provide programming to groups of 8 or more. Please contact our program department well in advance of your requested date as demand is high and the calendar fills up quickly.
Requested Programs
For groups of eight or more, we provide interactive educational programming.
Nature is fun to look at, but also fun to play! Students will get the chance to play in our natural playscape where they can build, run, and jump from log to log.
Bugs Don’t Bug Me
All Ages | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Presentation Screen & Projector
W.W. Knight, Bradner, Otsego or off-site location
Insects are the largest family of creatures on the planet; however, they often receive negative publicity from humans! Learn some fascinating information about insects, their role in local ecosystems, and why they are important to sustaining life on Earth.
Compass Capers
All Ages | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Open Area
W.W. Knight, Otsego, William Henry Harrison, Bradner or off-site location
Find out other uses for the magnetic compass other than showing you which way is north. This tried and true low-tech tool can help you get from point A to point B. We will learn the basics indoors and then head outside for an orienteering challenge.
Discover Nature
All Ages | Up to 25 students
30 – 60 min. | No classroom prep
Any park
This program is a great choice for a first visit to the park. Students embark on a nature walk with a naturalist and learn about the plants and animals they encounter.
Geocaching
All Ages | Up to 20 Students
60-90 min | No Classroom Prep
W.W. Knight, Sawyer Quarry, Bradner, or Cedar Creeks Preserve
Embark on this high-tech treasure hunt! Students will gain a functioning knowledge of how a Global Positioning System (GPS) works, and use GPS units to discover absolute and relative locations of hidden geocaches, along with geocaching ethics and protocols.
Herp Hang Out
All Ages | Up to 30 students
30 – 60 min. | No classroom prep
Any park or off-site location
Students learn the similarities and differences between reptiles and amphibians, discover their role in the environment, and meet a couple animal ambassadors up close.
Meet the Mammals
PreK – 6th | Up to 30 students
30 – 60 min | No classroom prep
Any park or off-site location
What do squirrels, deer, beaver, and humans all have in common? We’re all mammals!
Students will learn about what makes a mammal different from other animal classes, understand their roles in the ecosystem, and learn to identify common mammals of Ohio.
Nocturnal Animals
3rd – 6th | Up to 30 Students
45 – 90 min | Projector preferred, some open space for game
Any park or off-site location
What goes bump in the night? Probably an amazing nocturnal creature! Discover what adaptations make animals like bats and owls so successful at living in the dark.
Native American Games
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
30 min | Up to 15 table stations or large open space
W.W. Knight, Otsego, William Henry Harrison, Cedar Creeks or off-site location
People from cultures around the world have enjoyed games through the centuries as a way of bonding communities and building vital skills. Learn why games are important and have fun trying your hand at some!
Native American Lifeways
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
45 – 60 min | Hands on table stations and large open space
Any park or off-site location
How did the Native Americans (Anishnabek) of Northwest Ohio live and how did their lives compare to ours? Learn how they survived hundreds of years ago and engage with hands-on activities and artifacts.
Pioneer Games
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
30 min | Up to 15 table stations or large open space
W.W. Knight, Otsego, William Henry Harrison, Cedar Creeks or off-site location
What types of games did pioneer children play and how were they the same or different than the games we play today? Have fun trying your hand at some as we discuss the joys and societal significance of games past and present.
Rock Detectives
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Up to 15 table stations
W.W. Knight, Otsego or off-site indoor location
Rocks tell stories of ancient oceans, prehistoric animals, and a changing earth, but you have to know how to read them. Use tools and tests of real geologists and discover the unique history, composition, and modern-day uses of different common rocks.
Story of the Swamp
3rd – 5th | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Presentation Screen & Projector
W.W. Knight, Otsego and Bradner
Students learn about the formation, characteristics, wildlife, and eventual drainage of Northwest Ohio’s historic ecosystem, the Great Black Swamp. Where was it? What and who lived here? How was it drained? Does it impact us today? All of these questions and more are answered through presentation and engaging activity.
Traveling Water
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Open Area
Any park or off-site location
Where does water go, and what does it take with it? Students will learn about how pollutants can travel large distances through a watershed and take-home practices?? to prevent the spread of pollutants.
Trees
All Ages | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Presentation Screen & Projector
W.W. Knight, Bradner, Otsego or off-site location
We need trees to survive, but what do trees need? Students will learn about all the different parts of a tree, what trees require, and what role they provide in our ecosystem.
What’s in the Water?
3rd – Adult | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Body of water
W.W. Knight, William Henry Harrison, Otsego Park
This program will require students to go in the water. Closed-toe shoes and appropriate clothes for water are required. Students will discover what lives in our bodies of water and how the creatures that live within can indicate the health of our water.
If you are interested in a group or school program or a Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts program, please contact Program Coordinator Jim Witter at jwitter@ wcparks.org, (419) 661-1697 ext. 1.
Naturalist lead engaging programs for all ages!
The Wood County Park District manages the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist program in conjunction with Ohio State University extension office in Wood County.