General Information - Ladybug Nature Walks
Ladybug Nature Walks are a way for children ages 0-6 (and an adult) to explore a local Portland park. Nature educators guide families to notice plants and animals. Walks are child-directed and open-ended. Nature educators walk with the children in small groups. Children learn through questions, observation, and play. Groups move slowly through the park, stopping often. In this way, children have time to notice the plants and animals around them. If we have extra time we might also read a story, sing a song, or use puppets for imaginative play.
Walks last one hour. Content is geared for children ages 15 months-6 years. (Younger siblings under 15 months are welcome. Please give us their names and ages when prompted during registration.)
While exploring with a nature educator, children borrow a small Ladybug backpack containing a few tools that are easy to clean:
- Magnifying lens
- Small plastic tub with a lid
- Metal Spoon
- Laminated color wheel for matching
- Plastic Bug box
- Plastic paintbrush
- Small toy insect for imaginative play
For more information, email enviroed@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-1149.
We offer weekly walks for the general public, but we ask that preschool groups, classrooms, and organizations with more than five children schedule a customized group Ladybug Walk. Find information about customized group Ladybug Walks here.
COVID-19: Requirements to participate
All children and adults will need to be able to follow these guidelines to participate in a program:
- Beginning Saturday, March 12, 2022, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) will no longer require staff and visitors to use face coverings in all PP&R buildings and facilities. Staff and visitors who still wish to wear face coverings may do so at their own choosing.
- Please only attend if everyone attending is healthy!
- If anyone has a positive or presumptive case of COVID-19 or is awaiting results to a COVID test, they should not attend.
- If anyone is sick with COVID-like symptoms, including new or worsening cough, fever, shortness of breath, or recent loss of taste or smell, they should not attend.
- Beginning March 12, 2022, quarantine due to exposure is no longer required. A five-day quarantine is still required for a person that has COVID-like symptoms (or tests positive). They may participate once symptoms are resolving and they have been fever-free for 24 hours.
- Follow general sanitation guidelines. All participants should wash or sanitize hands when they arrive, after using the bathroom, and after sneezing or coughing.
Upcoming Walks: Times, dates, and locations
Walks take place rain or shine. We are outside 100% of the time. Please dress both children and adults in warm layers and rain coats and rain boots during the cold and wet months. We suggest hats and mittens and a full change of clothes just in case your little one is a puddle stomper.
Please arrive five minutes early to get screened, checked in, and connected to your nature educator. Locations vary each week. We try to schedule walks in Northwest, Southwest, North, Northeast, and Southeast Portland each month. Do you have a suggestion for a Portland park that would be a good location for your family? Let us know!
Register for a walk by clicking on the links below!
2022 Summer Walks - August and September
| Day of Week | Date | Time | Location | Meeting spot | Activity Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | August 11 | 9:30am | Northgate Park | Meet under the trees adjacent to the parking lot along N Geneva Avenue, between N Newark Street and Fessenden Street. | 1145514 |
| Monday | August 15 | 9:30am | Kenilworth Park | Meet at the east side entrance to the park, just north of the intersection of SE Holgate Boulevard and 34th Avenue. Note this meeting spot is NOT by the main playground! | 1145515 |
| Thursday | August 18 | 9:30am | Gabriel Park - Pollinator Meadow | Meet near the community garden at the south end of the park (nearest address is 4115 SW Canby Street). From SW Canby street, travel about 200 feet west of SW 40th Court and turn right. | 1145549 |
| Monday | August 22 | 9:30am | Wilshire Park | Meet near the picnic tables at NE 35th Place and Skidmore Street. | 1145517 |
| Thursday | August 25 | 9:30am | Kelley Point Park | Meet at the blacktop trail leading into the park from the farthest parking lot. Follow N Kelley Point Park Road to the end. | 1145555 |
| Monday | August 29 | 9:30am | Argay Park | Meet near the tennis courts at NE 141st Avenue and NE Failing Street. | 1145556 |
| Thursday | September 1 | 9:30am | A Park | Meet at the park entrance and blacktop path along SW Capitol Hill Road between SW 21st Avenue and Miles Street. | 1145516 |
| Thursday | September 8 | 10:00 | Farragut Park | Meet at N Winchell and N Kerby St. | https://anc.apm.activecommuniti… |
| Monday | September 12 | 10:00 | Lincoln City Park | Meet at the path at the NW corner of the park, just a block east of SE 131st Avenue and Mill Street (across from the track). | https://anprod.active.com/portl… |
| Thursday | September 15 | 10:00 | Laurelhurst Park | Meet at the brick bathroom building near SE Ankeny at Laurelhurst Place. | https://anprod.active.com/portl… |
| Monday | September 19 | 10:00 | Rose City Park | Meet at the picnic tables near NE 62nd Avenue and NE Thompson Street. | https://anprod.active.com/portl… |
| Thursday | September 22 | 10:00 | Council Crest | Meet at the stone circle at the summit of Council Crest. (1120 SW Council Crest Drive.) | https://anprod.active.com/portl… |
| Saturday | September 24 | 10:00 - 11:30 | Leach Garden | Meet at the garden entrance, just off SE 122nd Avenue and Claybourne Street. | https://anprod.active.com/portl… |
| Monday | September 26 | 10:00 | Tideman Johnson Park | Meet near the restrooms adjacent to the parking lot at SE Johnson Creek Boulevard and the Springwater Corridor Trail. Closest address is 4401 SE Johnson Creek Boulevard | https://anprod.active.com/portl… |
| Thursday | September 29 | 10:00 | Woodlawn Park | Meet at the Woodlawn Park amphitheater, at the northeast corner of NE Oneonta Street and Claremont Avenue. | https://anprod.active.com/portl… |
Pay What You Can pricing
Ladybug Walk fees are charged using a "Pay What You Can" pricing model. Walks are listed as $9 per child. When registering, use the available $3 discounts to reduce the cost to $6 or $3 per child (ages 2-6). Children 15-24 months need to register but attend for free.
When prompted during registration, please list the following information:
- First and last name and phone number of the adult attending with the child(ren)
- First and last name and phone number of any additional adults attending
- First name of any siblings joining the walk who are younger than 15 months old
Adults coming on the walk - we need your help!
When families arrive on site they will be assigned to walk in a small group of 3-5 children (and the adults attending with those children). Each group is led by one of our preschool nature educators. This will be your traveling group for the entire program.
As educators, we are good at what we do, but we are used to doing it right alongside the children. If you are registering your child for an upcoming walk, we plan to use you to help us bridge that six foot gap:
- Plan to be engaged the whole time. (Put aside your phone and mental to-do list. Explore along with your child.)
- Dress for the weather! Plan for rain. Add a layer. Arrive with footwear that can walk through wet grass or along a muddy trail.
- Get curious along with your child. Slow down, get down on the ground, and look around.
- Slow your pace. What a gift to have this time to explore together. Take advantage of it.
- Let go of having answers. Instead of trying to fill your child's head with facts or things that you think are interesting, follow their lead. Young children are more interested in the process of exploring than caring about names and nature facts.
We will be there alongside to guide, encourage, and get excited, but you will need to be our extended hands.
Meet the Educators
Pictures from previous walks
