Fieldtrippin’ at John Janzen Nature Centre

It’s no secret that I like to keep busy. My oldest daughter loves exploring and learning so we seem to go on our “Fieldtrips” quite often.  It can be daunting taking kids to new places, especially when your kiddos are young,  but getting out and seeing the attractions Edmonton has to offer is worth the effort. The best advice I was ever given was “don’t set your children up for failure”. I took this as, go and explore with your kids, but do all that you can to keep everyone sane. For us this means scheduling outings around sleep times, always bringing water and snacks, and knowing my girls’ limit at a location before the meltdowns start. I know my children and what they need to have a good day, so I try to work within those limits. Starting a hiking activity 30 minutes before lunch time is only going to fail and will leave everyone frustrated.

 John Janzen Nature Centre has been one of our all time favourite places to go when we have an hour or two to spare. The indoor playground, the awesome free programming and the tiny price tag make it one of the best places in the city for value for the kiddos.  We can usually spend 1-3 hours here and still only finish a handful of the activities available.

Most people head to John Janzen with the intention of hitting up the indoor playground, the Tegler Discovery Zone. While it is an awesome space, and every kid seems to love running around and hiding those foam pinecones (they somehow  have a currency like gold in and the kids protect them like crazies) there is so much more to discover. We typically spend about an hour in the indoor playspace (I tend to get my email done with the City’s free wifi on my phone while my girls run and play independently. Or, errr, I mean play with my children continuously 😉 ).  They have a restaurant-style buzzer system that you can take and wait your turn to get into the Tegler, which can get busy with summer camps or in the winter on cold days. While you wait for your buzzer to light up you can head across the hall to the Exhibit Room and see different pond animals, put on insect costumes, climb through a tunnel like a ground squirrel or make some art.  We typically try to hit up the free programming, especially in the summer months when there is a ton going on. For example, every day in summer there is

10:30- Nature Nook- a themed programed that usually includes art and stories, perfect for under 5.
11:30- Wild Things– a hand- on sensory exploration outside, like tracking animals or learning about insects. Last time we looked at different  bird’s nests and each child built there own out of materials we found on the ground.
1:00pm-Animal Encounter– an interpreter brings out a little creature for the kids to touch or feed. My girls love this and we hear about for the next few days.
2:00pm Wild Things– another sensory exploration.

These programs are run by fantastic staff with the patience of saints. They are all included with admission and they are so good for preschoolers who love to discover.

Our other favourite activity is to sign out one of the Adventure Backpacks. These aren’t advertised a ton in the Centre, but they are a great way to explore outside. There are four different themes to try. The pond dipping kit is our favourite and on our last trip we netted a water boatman, a leech, a tadpole that was nearly a frog, and quite a few snails. My kids couldn’t get enough of it.

The Centre also has a kid friendly “Nature Scavenger Hunt” for them to do outside. After they find all 9 items in nature they can submit their sheet to choose a prize. It took us about 20 minutes and the incentive of a prize made it quite fun (and the prizes are all pretty awesome).

John Janzen has indoor and outdoor seating for picnics and is open 10-5pm every single day in the summer. Admission is $7 per kid and adults get in free with paying kids. A year membership is only $54 for the whole family  and it is also part of the super popular Naturally Edmonton Attraction Pass.

Look Forward to-

-Kids getting their energy out in the Tegler Zone
-Lots of hands-on activities with great staff ready to answer questions
-Fun self-lead activities in the Exhibit Room, like puppet shows or making animal track rubbings.
-Seeing your kids learn about nature in a hands on environment- like the working bee hive in the back of the playground. Totally encased in clear plastic it’s memorizing for even adults.

But Be Prepared For-

-Staying longer then anticipating and needing to eat. There’s no real food for sale other then a vending machine. Bring a picnic or at least some healthy snacks. It’s quite easy to spend a couple hours here and my girls whine for chips every time they see those machines. Good thing I bring blueberries because those machines are the bane of my existence:)
-Tegler Zone becoming very busy if a group arrives. We won’t venture into the playground if it’s packed, but instead will do all the programming and rent a backpack or two for our visit instead.

Our Insider Tips-

-BRING SOCKS (you can also purchase them for $1.75 and even adults need to wear them in Tegler)
-Pond Dipping Backback is always the most popular, try to snag it first thing upon arrival.
-On a hot sunny day it seems like the place is deserted. It’s the perfect time to have the playground almost to yourself. Afternoons also seem to have less visitors.
-The free programming is very similar to the paid programming and summer camp activities, so take advantage of it.
-The front desk offers various activity sheets you can take home, just ask!
-Free Admission Day is September 27 2015, but go early to avoid big crowds

*On Thursday night there is a totally FREE bonfire and program. No admission fee is charged at all. They ask you bring your own mug for hot chocolate and your own lawn chair. Programming ranges from Pond Dipping to Bird Watching and it runs for 7-8:30pm every Thursday night in the summer months. If you can’t make it camping but your kids are wanting to sit around a fire and drink hot coco, this is an excellent and free option.*

The City of Edmonton has also just launched a Instagram contest asking to see your best Edmonton Attractions Images with a prize being awarded monthly till December. Hashtag your images #yegfun and check out the rules here.