Exciting Winter Youth Programs At Gunpowder Falls State Park

White Marsh, Md. (January 6, 2011) — Gunpowder Falls State Park welcomes visitors and their families to participate in its winter youth programs.

Children of all ages can explore the park, discover nature, and learn about the outdoors with the guidance of park rangers and an enthusiastic group of instructors from the Maryland Conservation Corps. Kids will enjoy hands-on activities including crafts, games, hikes, and other great projects designed to increase outdoor awareness.

Each of the following series includes one session per week for six weeks:

The Junior Rangers program is for children ages 9-12. Friday sessions are held at Days Cove from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. February 11 through March 18. Saturday sessions are held at Monkton Station from 1 to 3 p.m. February 12 through March 19.

The Park Pals program is for children ages 5-8. Friday sessions are held at Days Cove from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. February 11 through March 18. Saturday sessions are held at Monkton Station from 1 to 3 p.m. February 12 through March 19.

The Sprouts program is for children ages 3-4, accompanied by an adult. This series only holds Friday sessions at Days Cove from 10 to 11 a.m. February 11 through March 18. Sprouts are welcome to stay and play (supervised by a parent) whiles their older siblings complete Junior Rangers or Park Pals sessions.

The program costs $25 per child for Junior Rangers and Park Pals and $15 per Sprout. The program cost is reduced to $10 for each additional child from the same family.

Registration is limited to 20 children per Junior Ranger session, 15 children per Park Pal session and 10 children per Sprouts session. Early registration is recommended!

To register or for more information, call 410-592-2897.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov