The Children’s Nature Area has Grown!
Our first large event – “Pollinators and Plants – How We Grow Together”, held on Saturday, May 31, 2025, brought together approximately 50 families.
If you have not been to Rhoneymeade lately to visit the Children’s Nature Area, you ,may be surprised to see the many new additions and changes that have occurred over the past year. Thanks to a grant from the State College Downtown Rotary Club, donations from several local businesses, and help from some wonderful Volunteers, the Children’s Nature Area has expanded and grown!
The Children’s Nature Area currently has eight areas (or stations) for children and their families to utilize and explore.
The Discovery Garden is brimming with cherry tomatoes and mini-gourds. Strawberry season is over (but a few still pop up now and then), pots of lemon balm and basil herbs round out the garden. Colorful cloth harvest bags are available for visitors to help carry home any of the garden goodies they harvest. In addition there is a truly unique see through planter, where everyone can see gourd seeds growing, root, stem, leaves, and all.
The Digging Area is always a popular spot, because who doesn’t love just digging in the dirt? Inside the orange wooden box, located next to the digging area, are an assortment of digging tools and equipment guaranteed to allow a child’s imagination and exploration flow freely. Plus as a surprise bonus, along the outer edge of the digging area is a pot of the herb spearmint, as well as a pot of the herb rosemary.
The Activity Table currently has two sets of different blocks available for use. Set one is carved from actual branches, while set two has colorful inserts to help visualize the world in a different perspective. A discovery box is nestled in the top of the Activity Table, with special items for the children to explore. Check this table and the Discovery Box for new items, since things will rotate on a regular basis.
Which is heaver, three stones or six golf balls? Find out at the Weigh and Measure Station using the materials on hand (golf balls, stones, wooden discs), or find other items in nature to see what is heaver or lighter. Coming soon to this station will be a way to tell what is longer or shorter, is it three inches or three feet?
The Library Resource Station is a treasure box for both children and parents. Housing books, activities and resource materials, there is something to engage and educate visitors on almost every aspect of the natural environment. Resources, books, and activities rotate, so please check this station on a regular basis.
The Planting Station is fully equipped to help get a start on a vegetable or flower garden. The Potting Table offers a great area to work on with garden tools readily available. The seed box contains a variety of vegetable and flower seeds. To complete the process, potting soil and planting pots are also available. Fill a pot with soil, plant a seed, take it home, and watch it grow!
Hidden in the corner at the edge of the path is the Bear Cave. It doesn’t need to be winter to hibernate in the Bear Cave. Sometimes it’s nice to just find a cozy spot to sit and the Bear Cave may be just the right place.
Bugs are all around us, but sometimes they need special shelter from weather, predators, or other environmental factors. The Bug House helps provide that. However, different bugs have different needs and the signage located next to the Bug House explains exactly how and why the Bug House is structured as it is.
Looking for a place to sit quietly to read or just enjoy the sights and sounds of nature? The Cozy Corner is designed for exactly that. Still in progress, the Cozy Corner is located in a shady section of the Children’s Nature Area. Currently two larger Benches, a small table, child’s chair, a small bench, and wind chimes are available for simply relaxing or enjoying the books and resources located in the Library Resource Box. An upcoming landscape project will bring additional enhancements to the area to make it truly a delight to the senses.
As exciting as all of this is, there are still more projects in the near future and more activities being planned.
Our first large event – “Pollinators and Plants – How We Grow Together”, held on Saturday, May 31, 2025, brought together approximately 50 families. Under cloudy skies, everyone had the opportunity to plant a sunflower or pumpkin, make a butterfly puddler, make a compostable seed pot, help fill the Bug House, and take home a marigold plant. Special guests included: Mr. Matt giving a demonstration on bee and bee keeping, Sophia Mucciolo from the Penn State Entomology Department giving a demonstration on bugs, Representatives from Penn State Master Gardener program providing information on Pollinators, and Margo Berington (Ms Margot’s Music) leading a spirited interactive music program. Although the skies were cloudy, the smiles were bright and a good time was had by all!
A huge thank you to the volunteers (Jessica and Avery Minelli, Chrissy Fritton, Kathy Weaver, Deb Hilands, Briel Beaty, Rochell Roch, Frank Dougherty, James Lescher) who helped with the activities, and kept everything flowing smoothly.
All of this growth and programing would not have been possible without the generous support from the following:
Grant – The Downtown State College Rotary Club
Donation and Invaluable Support – Fred Bisbee
Donation of Goods – Grant Rosenberger, Owner, Ace Hardware
Donation of Goods – Jim Packer, Manager, Lowes State College
Donation of Goods – Resiliancy Farms
Donation of Goods – Target State College
Donation of Goods – Judy Caravan, Owner, KB Offset Printing
Donation of Goods and Services – Doing Good with Wood (Activity Table, Planting Table, Library Resource Box, two large Benches, Weigh Station), Kyle Peck, Dave DeCapria, John Seymore, Glenn Johnson, and Daniel Dougherty
Donation of Goods – Wiscoy for Animals
Initial Spark for the Children’s Nature Area – Briel Beaty and Sophia Williams, Communi-Tea Garden Managers
Too numerous to mention! – Daniel Dougherty and Frank Dougherty
Too numerous to Mention – James Lescher, Rhoneymeade Executive Director
Please come visit, enjoy the area, give suggestions, and definitely consider volunteering!
Beth Dougherty, Children’s Nature Area Coordinator