This winter and spring older children with their families will join Miss Judy for a fun Saturday afternoon of learning something new about the great outdoors. The program format is an introduction about the day's topic followed by a hands-on outdoor activity to try out what you learned. Each month, we will be exploring various locations and topics as we discover the many animals and plants that make up Winding Trails' fields, forests, and waterbodies. Since the weather is always fluid, the experience changes from year to year. The January and February programs will have activities based on the weather on that day -- checking out ice on the pond, building a snow fort, or taking a hike. In March, we will be experiencing the entire maple sugaring process from tapping the trees to boiling down the sap into syrup. Dress for the weather with layers, snow pants (when appropriate), and boots so everyone is warm in the cold. With April, we are inviting all to become citizen scientists that collect information with the free Cornell Lab's MERLIN Bird Id app about migrating birds and help Winding Trails add to our bird inventory. You can use this knowledge to enhance your family's personal time at Winding Trails and learn more about the birds in your yard and neighborhood. For May, look for animal nests and young, watch parents bringing food, and learn how these new families stay safe. Dress for the weather with good walking shoes. All these activities and more are out there to explore as we spend an exciting winter and spring season with your family.