nature

Kids of all ages will learn about common trees at this free Discovery Day at the Watershed Nature Center. Then they'll make leaf sun catchers with colorful leaves, tree bark rubbings, examine leaf anatomy and tree rings, sort leaves and seeds and more.

Kids of all ages will learn about owls, bats and spiders at this free Discovery Day at Watershed Nature Center. Visitors will disect owl pellets, learn about owl body part, build a spider and play a spider web game.

10 a.m. to noon. Free, but tickets are required.

For more information and tickets: watershednaturecenter.org

Kids ages 6 and up can learn more about the interesting lives of these eight-legged hunters. If possible, this program will include a spider hike, so please dress for the weather.

Butterflies are beautiful creatures with many unique characteristics. Learn the life history of butterflies and identification techniques for common species found throughout Missouri. You'll also learn how to attract these pollinators to your own backyard. For ages 10 and up.

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. Free. At Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center. Reservations are requested.

More information: mdc.mo.gov  

If you walk near woods or trees, the mammals you are most likely to see are squirrels. They are fun to watch as they run and jump and play, flick their bushy tails, chase each other up trees, bury acorns in the fall and dig them up again to eat in winter. But in spite of the playfulness that makes squirrels fun to watch, they face the same challenges in their lives as any other kind of wildlife. Learn more about these lively little mammals as we celebrate their lives with activities and crafts.

Girls ages 14 to 18 can bring out their inner Katniss and learn some of the archery skills this character used in the popular book series and movie The Hunger Games. Participants will rotate between three activities throughout the day: archery, fire/water/shelter skills and camouflage.

Participants should dress for the weather and bring a water bottle and snack. 

Badgers digging in the prairies, otters playing in the rivers, minks hunting in the lowlands - what do they all have in common? Kids will learn how these interesting predators are related and are all considered members of the weasel family. 

9:30 to 11 a.m. 

At Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center in Kirkwood, near the intersection of I-44 and I-270. Call 314-301-1500 for reservations. Free but reservations are required.