Looking for something fun to do this Spring Break? Make a trip to Fort Hays State University’s Kansas Wetlands Education Center. Spend an hour or half a day. During Spring Break week, the KWEC will have special, free STEM activities each day for drop-in visitors of all ages. No registration is required.
The KWEC is located 10 miles northeast of Great Bend along K-156 at Cheyenne Bottoms. Hours for the KWEC over Spring Break are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information visit wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu or call 877-243-9268.
“Bugapalooza” — Saturday, March 9 and Wednesday, March 13 – Bugs of all sorts have swarmed the Wetlands Center. Come join Alonso, FHSU graduate student, to explore what makes these tiny creatures so durable and important to Cheyenne Bottoms. Learn about their life cycles, how these insects survive the winter, and the differences between bugs, beetles, flies, bees and butterflies. Pinned insects will be on display, as well as microscopes available for a more up-close experience. Think you can find all the body parts of an insect? Test your mettle and find out.
“Birds of Columbia” — Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. - Take a photographic journey to Columbia, one of the three most diverse countries for birds, with professional photographer Bob Gress. This program is held in collaboration with the Shafer Art Gallery’s exhibit “The Connected World: Biodiversity in the Art of Carel Pieter Brest van Kempen,” show at the gallery through April 20.
“Feather Fun” — Sunday, March 10 and Tuesday, March 12 - Join FHSU graduate student Katya to discover various types of feathers that birds use and what they are used for. Match stray feathers to the correct bird species. Become an expert birder by using and coloring in bird keys. Finally, learn how to properly use binoculars for your own backyard bird identification experience.
“Geotrooping” — Monday, March 11 - Use field guides to decipher clues as to the location of hidden treasure boxes out on the nature trail. Program Specialist Mandy Kern will show you how to find the boxes using GPS (Global Positioning Systems) technology. Learn more about what makes Cheyenne Bottoms special at the treasure stops and each family will take a field guide home so you can identify plant and animal species anytime! Dress weather appropriately as you will be outside.
“Have a Batacular Day!” — Thursday, March 14 and Sunday, March 17 – Hang out at KWEC with FHSU graduate student Kirsten and learn all about bats! Read some neat bat facts, see real bat skins, and participate in fun activities that will help you realize the unique role bats play in our world.
“Plants on your Plate” — Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16 – Snacktivity time, with FHSU graduate student Chelsea. We will go over what vegetables and fruits belong to different parts of a plant. From flowers to roots, we will cover them all!
