Explore Nature’s Classroom at Family Nature Day

Early mornings in the Sonoran Desert are fragile; moments of quiet tranquility before one of the most biodiverse deserts in the world shakes itself awake to the greeting of a powerful sun rising from the east. Once the sunlight streams past the Rincon Mountain range, across the city of Tucson, blanketing the Catalina Mountains, sparkling the Tucson Mountains; the woodpeckers and mourning doves begin a bright morning symphony that would be shameful to miss. 

The educators who work at the Cooper Center for Environmental Learning are lucky enough to start their workday this way every day, at a campus nestled in the embrace of the Tucson Mountains near the west district of Saguaro National Park. Only here, can the Cooper Center team teach and learn in ways that are centered around their mission as a nonprofit environmental organization that works primarily with PreK-5th grade students from across Southern Arizona with hands-on, discovery-based programs in environmental learning. The events and programs that Cooper Center educators design and implement are all geared towards increasing learners’ ecological understanding and deepening their feelings for nature, by creating lifelong memories, and by inspiring learners of all ages to live more lightly and sustainably. 

This coming Saturday, on October 26th from 8:30am-12:00pm, the Cooper Center will be holding a Family Nature Day for all Tucson community members to come and create some lifelong memories! This event is partnered with the University of Arizona’s College of Education where student teachers will be leading these activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about their work and experience their teachings firsthand, with interactive activities for the little ones and an instrument petting zoo provided by the Instrumental Music Center. The Camp Cooper team designed these activities very intentionally, knowing the importance of early exposure to local environments and outdoor experiences for youth. The land that we live on can be a place of refuge, of healing, and of joy, but it becomes much harder to learn how to engage with our non-human neighbors and foster our relationships to place as we get older. 

Family Nature Day at the Cooper Center has historically been a great opportunity for kids to interact and connect, with each other, with their families, and with the Sonoran Desert. Cooper Center program coordinator Mariah Kuehl has worked on this event for the past 4 years with UA professor Sung Eun Jung, and Mariah shares that, “From desert-themed games to music, Kona Ice, face painting, and a photo booth, there's something for everyone! It’s a great way to learn about our amazing desert neighbors and spend a beautiful fall morning together in the Tucson mountains at Camp Cooper.". 

So come on out to the Cooper Center this Saturday! Family Nature Day will be taking place from 8:30am-12:00pm at 5403 W Trails End Rd 85745 in Tucson. Admission is free, everyone is welcome, and snacks, water, and sunscreen are highly recommended. You can register ahead of time here. We’ll see you there!