Schedule Alert: Friday, December 20, 2024, is our last Wild Things for 2024. See you in 2025!
Wild Things
Ages 0-6 & their adult(s) | Fridays & Saturdays, 9:30-11:00AM | Price: Suggested Donation
Discover nature at a slug’s pace and explore through a child’s eyes!
Designed for young children and their adult(s), Wild Things is a placed-based community program visits local parks each month to see what nature has to offer. We meet year round rain or shine. Outing topics and locations listed subject to change, just like our weather and nature patterns!
REGISTRATION & DONATION
This program is offered for free with a suggested donation of $10/person or $20/family. It is pay-what-you-can, and while any donation amount is appreciated, donations are not required to register or participate. Registration is encouraged, but not required. Weekly registration opens every Friday for the following Friday’s outing, and every Saturday for the following Saturday’s outing.
Accessibility information is listed below. If you have questions about location, accessibility, or anything else, please email communityprograms@wildwhatcom.org.
Accessibility Info
All Wild Things locations have the following:
Flat or very gently-inclined trails without barriers like boulders, fallen logs, gates, etc. Trails are usually hard-packed gravel, dirt, or pavement.
Trailhead Bathroom
No more than one (1) mile of walking.
Annual Calendar
January
LAKE PADDEN PARK (East Entrance)
4882 S Samish Way, Bellingham - Map link HERE
In January, we can spot the first beginnings of spring thanks to our maritime climate here in the Pacific Northwest. The transition happens slowly at first, and then spring arrives everywhere. A lovely natural phenomena to spot on frosty cold mornings are frost flowers-also called hair ice!
Wild Things are perfectly suited to discovering the subtle signs of spring's imminent arrival, with their great attention to the tiniest details. Plus, they are closer to the ground!
February
INTERURBAN TRAIL
2289 Lindsay Ave., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In February, we always find the first blossoms of spring. What? Flowers in February? Yes, indeed. We often find blooming Hazelnut catkins and a few Indian plum blossoms beginning to open!
Join us in February for a welcome breath of fresh air, nest counting, tree sex discovery, and a little nature fun and games.
March
STIMPSON FAMILY NATURE RESERVE
2076 Lake Louise Rd., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In March, we will be searching for the very first signs of spring in the Reserve, a special forest paradise and a favorite haunt of Wild Things. Join us to pet mossy logs, find budding bushes, and see how many kids it takes to reach all the way around a 400 year old tree!
April
WHATCOM FALLS PARK (Electric Ave. Entrance)
1401 Electric Ave., Bellingham - Map link HERE
Spring is upon us! This month we will be listening and looking for the birds migrating back to Bellingham and flipping logs to search for salamanders, spiders, and rolly-pollies. We will also stop by Derby Pond to say hello to the ducks and learn about the foods that are safe to feed them. Come ready to smell the flowers, say hello to the insects and animals who are becoming more active, and celebrate the arrival of spring!
May
CORNWALL PARK (Entrance next to Parkview Elementary)
3000 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In May, the salmonberries start ripening nicely! These beautiful, raspberry-looking berries are our first native berry to eat, then come thimbleberry, then native, trailing blackberry. We’ll look for the fattest, juiciest looking berries for sweetest snacking.
We’ll also think about some of the bird sounds we’re hearing around us and look for some of our beautiful spring flowers including those graceful bleeding hearts, yellow wood violets, and trillium!
June
MARINE PARK
100 Harris Ave., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In June, we like to explore the wonders of the sea! Wear your boots to protect those tender toes and dress warmly. Our marine parks have many surprising secrets just waiting for you to discover!
We'll bring tiny tide pools and nets, and field guides for the grown-ups. We may see crabs, jellies, sea stars, and possibly some baby herons!
July
BOULEVARD PARK
470 Bayview Dr., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In July we will be exploring Boulevard Park. Join us to search for crabs, sea stars, and magical rocks while enjoying the sunshine, then meander down the flat boardwalk trail appreciating the Great Blue herons, gulls, and Black oystercatchers that are abundant in the area. Bring a windbreaker, as it can be much cooler here than in town.
Note: On Saturday, July 6, 2024, we will be running an all-ages, family friendly Low-Tide Field Trip at Semiahmoo Spit. We encourage Wild Things families to join in the fun there! Please register on our Community Field Trips page.
August
LAKE PADDEN PARK (West Entrance)
4882 Samish Way, Bellingham - Map link HERE
In August, our local parks are ripe with recreational opportunities and places to explore! We always manage to find a hill to climb, search for banana slugs, and eat plenty of delectable berries in August.
We're using lots of "Super Secret Spider Spray" this month to reveal the beauty of shimmering spider webs. Those discoveries are priceless!
September
WHATCOM FALLS PARK (Electric Ave. Entrance)
1401 Electric Ave., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In September, we discover colors in leaves that have been hiding until just now, mysterious mushrooms popping up in unexpected places, perhaps even memories from your childhood triggered by the scents of autumn in the air. There is so much happening both under our feet and at the surface this time of year.
It's good to be grateful for what we have, remember who we came from, and celebrate abundance in many forms.
October
CORNWALL PARK (Entrance next to Parkview Elementary)
3000 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In October, we’re exploring and appreciating all things mushroom! In fact, without the benefits of the fungus among us, our forests could not exist. The variety of shapes and colors is simply amazing. Join us to look for mushrooms, say goodbye to the birds migrating south, and explore a magical forest. We'll find huge trees, lots of leaves, rotting nurse logs and mother stumps, ferns and fungus galore!
November
MARITIME HERITAGE PARK
500 W. Holly St., Bellingham - Map link HERE
In November, we will be looking out for seals and sea lions feasting on migrating salmon in Whatcom Creek! Late autumn is the best time of year to look for salmon and the marine mammals who eat them, and we will be thinking all about the important role salmon play in the entire northwest ecosystem. Come ready to get Seal-y and have a blast exploring a creekside trail and get curious about all the things plants and animals are up to as they prepare for the colder months.
Schedule Alert: No outings Friday, November 29, 2024 and Saturday, November 30, 2024.
December
CONNELLY CREEK TRAIL
3120 Taylor Ave., Bellingham - Map link HERE
(Parking: Joe’s Garden parking area)
In December, help us welcome winter, where we will be looking for frosty leaves, appreciating winter buds and bark, and spying on the animals who are still out and about in the winter time. The winter season brings a new sense of wonder and magic to outdoor exploring, and spending time outside makes the treat of some warm hot chocolate indoors all the sweeter! Bundle up, bring your mittens, and come ready to get curious.
Schedule Alert: Friday, December 20, 2024 is our last outing of the year. See you again in 2025!
Wild Things Pack List
Participants should be prepared to safely and comfortably spend several hours outdoors. Living in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) means we can start our adventure in the sun and end in the rain.
Participants should bring:
Appropriate clothes (i.e., rain boots, rain jacket/pants, hat/gloves, and warm layers). See our Essentials of Layering for more information.
Individual hand sanitizer
Snack (no food sharing will be allowed for safety reasons)
Water bottle
LOANER GEAR
Wild Whatcom has loaner gear available. You do not need to purchase gear to participate in our programs. To request loaner gear, please fill out this form and we will reach out to you. Please let us know at least five (5) days prior to your outing if you need to borrow gear/clothing.
Gear Discounts
Visit Outdoor School Shop and use code: WHATCOM for 15% off your order.