School is out for summer and KWEC has the perfect way to keep kids busy. Stop in and grab the 2026 KWEC Summer Explorer Guide!
With activities like Mate Match, Creature Couplet, Trail Tracker, Print Profiler, Dung Detective, Critter Connection, Wing Watcher, Merlin Match, Marsh Monitor, Ecology Episode, Silk Structures, Melody Marsh Mission, and Plumage Pairing - this guide will keep you exploring Cheyenne Bottoms and the Kansas Wetlands Education Center all summer long.
Complete the guide and turn in the ticket by Aug. 14 for a sticker sheet and to be entered into the prize drawing.
KWEC Summer Library Programs - Over and Under the Wetlands
Select Dates in June
Contact your local libraries to find a program near you.
This summer, KWEC will be visiting several local libraries to participate in the 2026 Summer Reading Program - Unearth a Story.
In KWEC’s program, ‘Over and Under the Wetlands’, participants will unearth the hidden wonders of our local Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands in this hands-on, nature-themed library adventure. Together we’ll enjoy an interactive reading of Over and Under the Wetlands, complete with immersive sounds that bring the habitat to life. After the story, kids can explore wetland animal skulls up close, join in lively wetland-themed games, and create a special resist-art card that helps them unearth what lies beneath the marsh surface. To top it all off, everyone will have the chance to meet one of our live snake ambassadors and discover how reptiles fit into this rich ecosystem.
KWEC will be presenting with the following libraries. Contact your local library for more information and program location.
10 a.m., Wednesday, June 3rd - Bushton: Farmer Township Library
10:30 a.m., Monday, June 8 - Ellsworth: JH Robbins City Library
10 a.m., Tuesday, June 9 - Claflin: Independent Township Library
1 p.m., Tuesday, June 9 - Russell: Russell Public Library
2:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 10 - Hoisington: Hoisington Public Library
10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 11 - Sterling: Sterling Grade School Commons
11 a.m., Tuesday, June 16 - St. John: Ida Long Goodman Memorial Library
10 a.m., Wednesday, June 17 - Ellinwood: Ellinwood School/Community Library
1 p.m., Thursday, June 18 - Otis: Otis Community Library
10 a.m., Monday, June 22 - Wilson: Lang Memorial Library
1 p.m., Monday, June 29 - Larned: Jordaan Memorial Library
3 p.m., Monday, June 29 - Macksville: Macksville City Library
11 a.m. (younger kids) and 1 p.m. (4th/5th grade), Tuesday, June 30 - Stafford: Nora E. Larabee Memorial Library
10 a.m., Wednesday, July 1 - Sylvan Grove: Sylvan Grove Public Library
10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 8 - Great Bend: Great Bend Public Library
Summer Discovery Day Camps
Registration is now open for KWEC’s Summer Discovery Day Camps. Each Tuesday and Thursday during the month of July, KWEC will host a different themed camp for students who have completed 1st - 6th grades. Pre-registration is required and camp rosters typically fill quickly.
Camps will be held each day from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and have a $10/session fee. Campers will need to bring their own lunch, but snacks are provided.
Wetlands Wrigglers -Tuesday, July 7 - It is always a camp favorite to put on waders and explore the biodiversity of Cheyenne Bottoms. This is the camp where campers will search for aquatic invertebrates, catch terrestrial inverts with nets and construct critter catchers. Build a pollinator puddler to assist your backyard bees and butterflies and use mealworms to create an artistic masterpiece.
Critter Codes - Thursday, July 9 – How do animals talk to each other? Campers will decode some of the mysteries of animal communication. Campers will use all of their senses to find out the different methods animals can use to communicate. Interpretive dance, a lovely scent, speaking bird squawk, and more. Campers will also make animal communicators to take home.
Herp Haven - Tuesday, July 14 – In this camp, campers become herpetologists, or people who study reptiles and amphibians. Campers will go herping (safely look for reptiles and amphibians) and learn about some amazing adaptations herpetofauna have such turtle shells, frog slime, snake venom and so much more. Make and take home a toad abode for the toads in your backyard.
Mudflat Masters - Thursday, July 16 – Do you have what it takes to survive in the wilds of Cheyenne Bottoms? This camp will test your navigation abilities, hone your knot tying skills, and ensure your campfires start quickly, safely, and efficiently. Campers will learn the importance of boater safety and put this knowledge to practice by canoeing at Vet’s Lake. Wilderness first aid will also be covered.
Marsh Makers - Tuesday, July 21 – Den, Drey, Warren, Gall, Nest – in this engineering focused camp, campers will explore the unique habitats and shelters animals construct. Campers will build a bee hotel and a 3D printed critter to take home. A team-building activity and service project enhancing the Cheyenne Bottoms habitat will help round out the day.
Weather Wonders - Thursday, July 23 – Campers will be meteorologists for the day. How do storms form or lightning work? Campers will conduct experiments to find out. Campers will also make a weather safety kit list, learn how wildlife survives extreme weather, and make a tornado to take home!
Bottoms BioLab - Tuesday, July 28 – Calling all Mad Scientists! If you love explosions, mysteries, and solving problems, this camp is for you. Campers will dissect owl pellets, use microscopes, and test bird feet adaptations. Grown-ups are invited to a live chemistry show performed by the campers at 2:30 p.m. Registration for this camp is currently full - call now to secure your spot on the waitlist.
Hoots and Howls - Thursday, July 30 – When the sun goes down, a whole world of nocturnal critters comes to life! In this camp, campers explore the creatures of the night found around Cheyenne Bottoms and beyond. Test your hearing and night vision with an echolocation activity, a flashlight game, some glow-in-the-dark art, and an eye shine activity.
Summer Drop-In Nature Crafts
Mondays in July
KWEC is offering Drop-in Nature Craft workshops this summer, each Monday in July. These come-and-go style activities will be held from 1-4 p.m. No registration is required for these free programs. A short science lesson that fits the theme of the craft will help kids gain appreciation for the natural world.
Monday, July 6 – Craft a whimsical bird ornament using decoupage techniques to showcase delicate patterns and natural elegance.
Monday, July 13 – Create a unique hammered flower card that transforms petals and leaves into soft, natural watercolor‑like impressions.
Monday, July 20 – Make a stylish snake‑skin coaster that captures the intricate texture and pattern of reptile scales.
Monday, July 27 – Design reusable beeswax wraps that offer an eco‑friendly, nature‑inspired alternative to plastic food storage.
Water level updates and recent bird sightings
Typically, by June, bird activity in the wetlands slows down, as most of the migrants have made their way through. Even then, summer residents can be fun to see.
We are very glad to have water this year at Cheyenne Bottoms after a few years of drought and less than significant water available. Cheyenne Bottoms has received very little rain so far this Spring, so water levels have already declined over the last month. Most pools have at least some isolated pools of water in the dugout channels. Pools 1a, 1b, 1c , 2, and 3a have more surface water available than other pools and are where most of the bird activity has been. There is also water available in the permanent marshes on TNC’s Preserve.
