25 Things to do in Summer
1) Nature Passport
Get every stamp on your nature passport! Follow Ringo Raccoon to visit all the Nature Net member sites and explore special missions at each location.
2) Badger Rock Community Market
Enjoy fresh, local food and fun for the whole family at Rooted’s Badger Rock community market throughout the summer, featuring hot food vendors, community workshops, and the Badger Rock farm stand.
3) MCM Roadshow
Check out the Madison Children’s Museum exhibits and activities on the road at local community events throughout the summer. Visitors create miniature works of art to take home and can try their hand at structure building activities.
4) Geode Cracking and Gemstone Mining
Discover your new favorite rock with geode cracking and gemstone mining at Cave of the Mounds.
5) UW Arboretum Work Parties
Volunteer for ecological restoration Work Parties at the UW Arboretum to learn about Arboretum plant communities, practice ecological restoration, and make friends.
6) Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s 30th Anniversary Open House
Celebrate 30 years of environmental education at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s 30th Anniversary Open House with music, good food, and great community.
7) Pollinator Watch
Get to know the pollinators around you! Watch a flower for 5 minutes and count how many insect visitors you observe.
8) Bird & Nature Adventures
Learn about the natural world in parks around Madison with naturalist-led walks for all ages at monthly Bird & Nature Adventures events.
9) Night Moth Walk
Embark on a naturalist-guided Night Moth Walk at Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park to spot and learn about moths and other night-flying insects.
10) Insect Scavenger Hunt
Search for hiding bugs and practice observation skills with the Insect Scavenger Hunt program at the Madison Children’s Museum.
11) Backyard Birding
Create a backyard bird sanctuary with expert advice from Wild Birds Unlimited. Get to know the flying visitors to your home in a birding journal.
12) Pond Dipping
Explore the vastness of the aquatic world you can find in one bucket of water in Horicon Marsh’s Pond Dipping program.
13) Pressed Flowers
Create a picture using pressed flowers. Collect your favorite summer blooms and press them in a book to preserve their shape and color. After a few days, glue them to paper and draw a picture around them!
14) Lil’ Explorer Adventure
Engage little ones’ curiosity with nature in a collaborative environment with the weekly Lil’ Explorer Adventure program at Lussier Family Heritage Center.
15) Butterfly Garden
Create habitat for pollinators around your own home by planting a butterfly garden. Check out UW Horticulture’s guide for a successful butterfly haven.
16) Children’s Zoo
Ride the electric Zoo Train at the Children’s Zoo exhibit at Henry Vilas Zoo – make sure to stop and see the red pandas and aardvark at the Green Barn!
17) Parks Alive
Get to know your local parks while having fun and building community at Parks Alive events across Madison city parks throughout the summer.
18) Storytime with Animals
Learn about the animals around us with stories read by MacKenzie Center naturalists at their Storytime with Animals events.
19) Picnic
Pack some snacks, cool beverages, and a comfy blanket to bring to your favorite local park. Find a scenic view to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family while you munch.
20) Seed Collection
Volunteer to collect seeds of native plant species at Pheasant Branch Conservancy to aid prairie conservation efforts.
21) Rock Skipping
Learn to skip a rock! Visit one of South Central Wisconsin’s many lakes to search for the perfect stone to practice your skipping abilities.
22) Blooming Butterflies
Walk among 19 species of flying butterflies at Olbrich Botanical Gardens’ Blooming Butterflies exhibit. Visitors can learn about the butterfly life cycle and have a chance at witnessing one of these beautiful insects emerge from their chrysalis.
23) UW Geology Museum
Explore Wisconsin geologic history and the ancient creatures that swam and walked the state at the UW Geology Museum.
24) Cranes of the World Celebration
Celebrate the wonder of cranes with the whole family at the Cranes of the World Celebration at the International Crane Foundation.
25) Paddle in the Park
Learn to paddle in the Yahara River at a beginner’s Paddle in the Park event this summer.