5 Ways to Have Winter Fun at the Park

5 Ways to Have Winter Fun at the Park

Beat the winter blahs by engaging all your senses and embracing what the park has to offer in the colder months.

1. Open Your Eyes

See the forest for the trees, and explore the sculptures coated in wintry layers of ice, rain or snow. Shapes and structures are revealed, art and nature’s edges become more defined, viewed from a fresh perspective. Watch how the light and shadows play differently in the winter!

2. Heads Up

Take inspiration from Metamorpho-Nest by Andrea Wilson Mueller, and go on a nest hunt. Leafless winter trees reveal birds’ and squirrels’ nests that are usually hidden from view. Some birds may return to the same nests each year. A fun activity is to draw your own map of where you spotted nests in trees, and return at least once each season to observe bird activity in those places.

3. Watch for Winter’s Flowers

Frost flowers form when moisture seeps out of certain plants, such as the native white or yellow wingstem plants. If the moisture meets freezing air, a frosty build-up can take on dramatic sculptural shapes. These ephemeral artworks of nature are easiest to find in areas of deep shade. 

4. Hug a Tree

Winter tree identification may show you how much you don’t know about trees that seem so familiar. Where do growth buds form on stems? Do they form opposite or alternating patterns? Is the bark smooth and scaly, thick and chunky, or maybe even a little squishy? What is the shape of their seeds? Borrow the winter tree finder booklet in the JSP Visitor Center to identify species, and to deepen your tree appreciation in any season.


5. Look for Lichens

Can you find lichens growing on trees, rocks and sculptures throughout the park? Notice where you find them, and what the conditions are. How moist is it? How much air flow? How much sun? See this article to learn how these fascinating life forms are indicators of air quality. And   then . . . take a deep breath.





Find more ideas to enjoy JSP in all the seasons here.

Published December 19, 2024

Share by: