COVID-19 Update for Face Coverings
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.
Summer Registration Update
General registration for Ladybug Nature Walks scheduled for June 20 through September 1 begins Monday, May 23 at 12:30pm.
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! When registering your child, you will be prompted to give the name and phone number of the adult attending the walk. Only children ages 2-6 will be charged the fee.
2022 Spring Walks - April, May, and June
| Day of Week | Date | Time | Location | Meeting Spot | Activity Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | May 12 | 10:30am | 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). | 1143966 |
| Wednesday | May 18 | 10:30am | Cully Park | Meet at the grassy area next to the bathrooms. Park in the lot at the end of NE 72nd Avenue, about 3 blocks north of NE Killingsworth Street. | 1143967 |
| Thursday | May 19 | 10:30am | Sellwood Riverfront Park | Meet near the bathrooms adjacent to the parking log on SE Oaks Park Way just north of SE Spokane Street. | 1143968 |
| Tuesday | May 24 | 10:30am | River View Natural Area | Meet at the trailhead at South Palatine Hill Road and Brugger Street. Park on the street in the residential area. Please be aware of driveway access. | 1143969 |
| Wednesday | May 25 | 10:30am | Pier Park | Meet at the trail by the Pier Park pool entrance, close to N Seneca Street and St Johns Avenue. | 1143970 |
| Tuesday | May 31 | 10:30am | Ventura Park | Meet near the parking lot at SE 113th Ave, just north of SE Stark Street. | 1143972 |
| Wednesday | June 1 | 10:30am | April Hill Park | Meet at the soccer field at the west entrance of the park near SW 59th Avenue and S Miles Street. | 1143973 |
| Tuesday | June 7 | 10:30am | Lents Park | Meet near the community garden at SE 89th Avenue and Steele Street. | 1143974 |
| Wednesday | June 8 | 10:30am | Grant Park | Meet at the entrance on the east side of the park near NE 36th Avenue and Brazee Street. | 1143975 |
| Wednesday | June 15 | 10:30am | Kenton Park | Meet at the intersection of N Willis Boulevard and N Brandon Avenue. | 1143976 |
2022 Summer Walks - June, July and August
General registration begins May 23, 2022 at 12:30pm for all summer walks.
| Day of Week | Date | Time | Location | Meeting spot | Activity Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | June 20 | Off | n/a | Juneteenth Holiday | n/a |
| Thursday | June 23 | 9:30am | Pendleton Park | Meet at the park entrance along SW Iowa Street, just east of SW 55th Avenue. | 1145488 |
| Monday | June 27 | 9:30am | Creston Park | Meet at the picnic tables under the trees by the parking lot at SE 43rd Avenue and Rhone Street. | 1145489 |
| Thursday | June 30 | 9:30am | Fernhill Park | Meet near the tennis courts along NE 37th Avenue, about one block north of Ainsworth Street. | 1145491 |
| Monday | July 4 | Off | n/a | 4th of July Holiday | n/a |
| Thursday | July 7 | 9:30am | Maricara Natural Area | Meet at the trailhead on NE entrance to park, just south of the intersection of SW Luradel Street and 25th Avenue. Closest address is 10440 SW 25th Avenue. | 1145492 |
| Monday | July 11 | 9:30am | Bloomington Park | Meet at the park entrance near SE 101st Avenue and Steele Street. | 1145505 |
| Thursday | July 14 | 9:30am | Columbia Park | Meet near the tennis courts at the park entrance near N Winchell Street and Foss Avenue. | 1145506 |
| Monday | July 18 | 9:30am | Forest Park – NW 53rd Drive at Holman Lane | Meet at the Upper Holman Trailhead along NW 53rd Drive. From Portland, travel west on NW Cornell Road past Portland Audubon to NW 53rd Drive. | 1145507 |
| Thursday | July 21 | 9:30am | Dickinson Park and Woods | Meet under the trees closest to the playground along SW 55th Avenue, 1-2 blocks south of SW Alfred Street. | 1145508 |
| Monday | July 25 | 9:30am | Midland Park | Meet at the entrance to the park that leads from the northwest corner of the Midland Library parking lot. Library address: 805 SE 122nd Avenue | 1145509 |
| Thursday | July 28 | 9:30am | Woodstock Park | Meet at the northwest corner of the park, near SE 47th Avenue and Steele Street. | 1145510 |
| Monday | August 1 | 9:30am | Peninsula Park | Meet near the covered gazebo near the intersection of N Albina Avenue and Holman Street. | 1145511 |
| Thursday | August 4 | 9:30am | Alberta Park | Meet at the park entrance at the southeast corner of the park, near NE Killingsworth Street and 22nd Avenue. | 1145512 |
| Monday | August 8 | 9:30am | Hoyt Arboretum | Meet at the covered pavilion across from the Visitor’s Center at 4000 SW Fairview Boulevard. | 1145513 |
| 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 |
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
