(WAUKESHA, Wis.) – Families looking for outdoor fun during spring break can find it at Retzer Nature Center, which is offering hands-on programs for children March 30 through April 3, 2026, along with a monthlong Story Hike in April.
The programs invite children to explore nature through storytelling, art, animal encounters and environmental learning, all designed to spark curiosity and encourage time outdoors. Young learners can enjoy “Nature Storytime”, featuring different story themes paired with nature-based activities. Kids can also get creative during Art in Nature, where participants will craft, sketch and paint using the natural world for inspiration.
Families interested in conservation can join “Your Actions Matter”, a guided hike featuring Recycle Racoon, Waukesha County’s recycling mascot. Participants will learn how everyday actions can support the environment through the “4 R’s” – reduce, reuse, recycle and rot. Children can also meet some of Retzer’s resident wildlife during “Animal Adaptations”, where nature center teaching animals help demonstrate how physical and behavioral traits allow species to survive in their habitats.
Programs are designed for children ages 2-15. The cost is $6 per child, and registration is available online at wauk.co/program.
In addition to the spring break programs, families can explore the outdoors all month long during the Story Hike, available April 1-30 along Retzer’s Orange Trail. Visitors can read “What Matters” by Alison Hughes and Holly Hatam while walking the trail and learning how small actions can help protect the environment. The Story Hike is free and open to all ages, with no registration required. The program is offered through a partnership between Retzer Nature Center and the Bridges Library System.
All programs take place at Retzer Nature Center, S14W28167 Madison St., Waukesha. Registration for spring break programs closes at noon the day before each program. Walk-ins may be accommodated if space allows; walk-in visitors are encouraged to call ahead and arrive 15 minutes early.
More information is available at waukeshacounty.gov/retzer.
