Youth Group Programs

The following programs are available free of charge at locations throughout Pima County. Programs are tailored to organized youth groups (ages 5-12). Select from this menu of programs to schedule a time to bring your youth group to a Pima County Park, or we can bring the educational program to your facility. For additional information and scheduling call 520-615-7855 or email eeducation@pima.gov.

Youth Group Programs Brochure

Orienteering
Orienteering is a fun and practical way to explore the outside world. Each child learns to use a magnetic compass and to find their way though a custom-made orienteering course.
Location: Agua Caliente Park, Feliz Paseos Park or appropriate outside location.

Sonoran Desert Discovery
Bring your group on a guided trail hike in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains at Feliz Paseos Park, or experience life in a desert oasis at Agua Caliente Park. Participants use binoculars and hand lenses to take a close look at desert life and work as a team to learn about the connections between plants and animals and their environment.
Location: Agua Caliente Park or Feliz Paseos Park.

Let’s Go Birding!
The group learns easy tips for observing birds, and using binoculars and field guides to see and identify common birds of the desert.
Location: Agua Caliente Park, Feliz Paseos Park or appropriate outdoor location.

Explore Aquatic Life
Discover the diversity of life in the ponds at Agua Caliente Park. We use nets, skimmers and buckets to collect water samples and watch the water come to life under the microscope.
Location: Agua Caliente Park.

Go Batty!
The group is introduced to the fascinating lives of bats as they participate in a series of activities that are adjusted to age and ability, and allotted time. Each child takes on the role of scientist to net bat replicas, take measurements and looks for other clues to identify bats. Hands-on science is followed by bat stories, make-and-take bat crafts, or “Go Batty” games.
Location: Agua Caliente Park or appropriate outdoor or indoor location.

Pollinators of the Desert
Explore the many shapes, colors and aromas of flowers and observe the kinds of animals attracted to this bounty.
Location: Agua Caliente Park, Feliz Paseos Park or appropriate outdoor location.

Desert Watersheds and the Water Cycle
Each child in the group builds a watershed model to track the movement of water through the landscape via the water cycle. Work as a group to explore the importance of water for wildlife and people in the desert.
Location: Agua Caliente Park or appropriate outdoor or indoor location.

Desert Water in Watercolors
Taking inspiration from watersheds, water cycles, and wildlife, participants create watercolor paintings using several techniques. Youth artists are encouraged to submit works to Tucson’s River of Words Youth Poetry and Art Contest. Entry forms and instructions are provided. Pre-requisite: Desert Watersheds and the Water Cycle.
Location: Agua Caliente Park or appropriate outdoor or indoor location.

Nature Discovery Packs
Explore nature and learn about the diversity of wildlife at Agua Caliente Park through self-guided activities and tools included in our nature packs. Packs can be loaned out to individuals or groups visiting the park.
Location: Agua Caliente Park

Camouflage – Hide and Seek in the Desert
Animals come in all sorts of colors or have patterns and shapes that attract attention or may help them blend into their surroundings. A digital slide presentation precedes a series of engaging activities to learn how camouflage plays a role in animal survival.
Appropriate indoor location.

Experiencing Nature through the Senses
Animals use their senses to explore their surroundings, look for food and even find a mate. Use your senses to learn about the plants and animals that call the Sonoran Desert home.
Location: Appropriate outdoor or indoor location.

Jammin’ with Nature
Animals and people use calls and songs to communicate. With a multimedia presentation we introduce the group to the amazing variety and discuss the significance of nature sounds. Children use simple musical instruments to recreate the sounds from nature.
Appropriate indoor location.

Animal Tracking
Some animals may be hard to find but they often leave behind one tell-tale clue—their tracks. Your group is sure to enjoy this activity using rubber track replicas to recreate animal tracks and learn how to identify tracks in the wild.
Appropriate outdoor or indoor location.

Skulls from the Sonoran Desert
You can tell a lot about an animal by looking at the size and shape of its skull. The group examines replicas of skulls to learn about what the animals eat, where they live and how they hunt.
Appropriate outdoor or indoor location.

Habitats by Design
The group learns the basics of what makes good wildlife habitat. Using plant and animal resource cards the group assembles a plan for a backyard wildlife habitat. Best suited for ages 8 – 12.
Appropriate outdoor and indoor location.

Pollinators and Food
Take a close look at the parts of a flower and discuss how, with the help of pollinators, plants create fruits. Then reinforce our reliance on the work of bees and other pollinators by “feasting“ on our imaginary pollinator picnic.
Appropriate outdoor and indoor location.