Outdoor Exploration
Step outside and uncover the science of the great outdoors! Whether you’re hiking through scenic trails, planting spring flowers, or exploring local parks, our Outdoor Exploration series brings science to life in nature. Join expert naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts for hands-on activities. From uncovering the secrets of Ohio’s ecosystems to experiencing the thrill of adventure, these events will inspire curiosity and a deeper connection to the natural world. Get ready to explore, discover, and embrace the science all around you!
Upcoming events:
Do you have what it takes to work at Ohio’s only national forest? Put your skills to the test with various augmented reality games, or missions, through the free Agents of Discovery smartphone app. Download the app, complete all four missions before May 3rd, and earn an official Junior Ranger pin!
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Date & Time
April 30, 2025
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
The Village of Lockbourne invites you to join us for a celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the Ohio & Erie Canal. This is a great opportunity to discover our local history and its importance to Ohio. Come and explore our locks and canals on a guided walk along the Magnolia Trail. Learn why and how the canal was built. Lockbourne is home to canal locks and the ONLY place you can see the remains of the Columbus Feeder Canal locks. Everyone is invited.
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Date & Time
April 30, 2025
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Families will once again celebrate the COSI Science Festival with a Passport Nature Scavenger Hunt program at Jeffrey Mansion & Woods. They will discover the many wonders of spring within Bexley’s 20-acre, Jeffrey Woods while exploring several ecosystems and the critters, plants and trees that live there.
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Date & Time
April 30, 2025
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Be a scientist! Learn to use iNaturalist to record scientific observations and then set out on a 1.25-mile hike to observe, identify and record mushrooms and other fungi around Blacklick Woods.
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Date & Time
April 30, 2025
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Do you have what it takes to work at Ohio’s only national forest? Put your skills to the test with various augmented reality games, or missions, through the free Agents of Discovery smartphone app. Download the app, complete all four missions before May 3rd, and earn an official Junior Ranger pin!
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Date & Time
May 1, 2025
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Blast off into summer with Grove City Parks and Recreation to discover Science at the park. Experience hands-on science demonstrations and activities about water safety, healthy habits, and nature-based play. Participate in rocket launching and the science of summer time games. You will be amazed at the science found in your hometown! Grab a COSI learning lunchbox while supplies last.
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Date & Time
May 1, 2025
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Join us for soil demonstrations from Capital University, information on the positive impact of supporting farmers and eating healthy from Bexley Schools, and a tour of the Bexley Gardens with Master Gardeners to learn about gardening from soil, to planting seeds, to harvesting your crops. All participants will also pick a vegetable seed to plant in a pot and take home to grow!
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Date & Time
May 1, 2025
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Volunteers will assist with the pollinator gardens at Dorrian Green Park! Learn alongside Master Gardeners on how pollinators are planted and maintained while getting your hands dirty in the process!
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Date & Time
May 1, 2025
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
As part of the COSI Science Festival, join this outdoor tour to explore native plants and pollinators. Learn how to boost pollinator activity in your garden. Dress for the weather and wear suitable footwear.
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Date & Time
May 1, 2025
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
New Albany - Plain Local Schools is collaborating with the city of New Albany to produce a day at Taylor Farm Park for our community to explore nature. The event will feature multiple stations around the park for kids and families to learn and explore. We will be embracing the concept of Taylor Farm by featuring Bring the Farm to You, a gardening demo with Healthy New Albany. We will also have a Scavenger Hunt with prizes and nets for finding insects in the wetland areas.
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Date & Time
May 1, 2025
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Come be a scientist and help us record species in the park! We will look high and low for plants and animals, from treetops to under rocks in the creek. Dress for the weather and wear footwear that can go for a 1.5-mile hike and maybe even get wet! Download iNaturalist ahead of time if you plan on using that platform (cell service is spotty.)
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Date & Time
May 1, 2025
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Join us at the Olentangy River Wetlands Research Park for our first-ever Bioblitz! Throughout the day, you’ll work alongside experts and students from The Ohio State University to document the biodiversity of the park using data sheets and the iNaturalist app.
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Date & Time
May 2, 2025
7:00 am - 9:00 pm
Do you have what it takes to work at Ohio’s only national forest? Put your skills to the test with various augmented reality games, or missions, through the free Agents of Discovery smartphone app. Download the app, complete all four missions before May 3rd, and earn an official Junior Ranger pin!
READ MORE
Date & Time
May 2, 2025
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Join us to learn about and catch interesting insects, and the trees and plants that host them. Take home a free tree to plant, or help us plant it in the park! Help us list some of the insects found in our park for others to find on their next visit!
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Date & Time
May 2, 2025
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Join us at Friendship Park from 2pm-3pm for an afternoon of STEM fun!
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Date & Time
May 2, 2025
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Get ready for a night of fun and adventure with Mario from the Brave Wilderness team. Take this unique opportunity to hike into the waterfowl refuge and explore Thoreau Lake. We will search for critters scaly, slimy, big and small! Wear waterproof shoes so you can get as wet and muddy as you like!
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Date & Time
May 2, 2025
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Join us at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center for a bird walk through the Scioto Audubon Metro Park with our educators and learn how to use the Merlin Bird ID app to explore the world of birding! After the bird hike, sample a selection of Nocterra Brewing Co. beers and ciders while enjoying sliders and a Bird Trivia Game. The first forty people to register will also receive a BIRD BINGO card for a chance to win even more prizes!
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Date & Time
May 2, 2025
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Join the naturalist for a fun and interactive citizen science hike! Using iNaturalist, we’ll observe Glacier Ridge’s biodiversity on a guided hike. We will hike along the Red Oak Trail and the Marsh Hawk Trail which are a mix of paved and non-paved paths. We will be partnering with COSI for this experience as part of the COSI Science Fest! Meet at the shelter house by the flagpole. Please dress for hiking.
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Date & Time
May 2, 2025
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Come join our outdoor education staff at Alley Park on Friday, May 2nd for a Park After Dark Event in partnership with the COSI Science Festival Community STEAM Events. Activity stations will include: a night hike, moth identification station, nature center visit with live animals, and scrumptious s'mores over the campfire.
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Date & Time
May 2, 2025
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm