INSIDE EVERY PACK

More than a checklist

Each 12-page pack includes 10 missions across two age levels, seasonal bingo, a themed Spot-It sheet, suggested Upstate places to explore, an explorer log, and a completion certificate. Spring focuses on wildflowers, summer on critters, fall on leaves, and winter on animal tracks.

Complete seven or more missions to earn the certificate at the back. Leave room for an unexpected discovery, a second visit, or an afternoon when one good mission is plenty.

01 / SPRING EXPLORER

Follow the small changes

The Spring Mission Pack invites children to look for flowers, watch birds gathering nest materials and listen for frogs. Wildflower Detective gives younger children a color hunt while older explorers use the Spot-It sheet and count petals. Bud Watch encourages repeat visits to the same twig, making an ordinary corner of the yard a place worth checking again.

Other missions include Pollinator Patrol, Tadpole Watch, and a Dawn Chorus Map. Rain Gauge and Sprout Scientist bring the exploring home, while Mill Detective adds a history question to a visit near an old mill site. The pack lists Upstate ideas such as Station Cove Falls, Devils Fork State Park and Pelham Mill Park, giving families starting points for planning a seasonal outing.

02 / SUMMER EXPLORER

Chase a little summer wonder

The Summer Mission Pack follows the season from morning spider webs to evening fireflies. Butterfly Count asks children to keep track of what they see, while Cloud Spotter leaves room for both imaginative shapes and closer observation. Shade Detective and Melt Race turn familiar experiences into simple comparisons: how does shade feel, and what happens to an ice cube left in the sun?

Firefly Night and Night Sound Map can make an evening in the backyard feel like an expedition. The pack also includes Creek Critter Search and Sink or Float; choose settings where the activity is permitted and keep children closely supervised near water. History Detective brings a different kind of discovery, focusing on a tunnel or covered bridge. Spread these activities across the summer instead of trying to fit them into one long, hot day.

03 / FALL EXPLORER

Take the scenic way through fall

The Fall Mission Pack makes a familiar autumn walk feel full of possibilities. Leaf Shape Detective, Rubbing Gallery and Color Wheel Walk give children reasons to slow down and compare what they find. Seed Travelers asks them to consider how seeds move, while Squirrel Spy turns a quiet watch into a record of climbing, eating and digging.

Sound Map invites children to listen to the landscape, and Mushroom Spotter is a drawing activity with a clear look-only rule. History Detective encourages a closer look at stonework and park history, while Pumpkin Math brings estimating and measuring to a pumpkin. Choose a couple of missions for your next fall outing, then use the bingo card as a reason to keep looking along the way.

04 / WINTER EXPLORER

Find the stories winter leaves behind

The Winter Mission Pack gives families reasons to step outside even when the trees are bare. Track Detective focuses on footprints in mud or sand, so snow is not required. Nest Spotter encourages children to look up, Evergreen Hunt sends them searching for plants that are still green, and Bark Rubbing Gallery shifts attention to the textures of tree trunks.

Feeder Count can begin at a window overlooking your own yard. Frost Scientist and Shadow Tracker invite comparisons on suitable days, while Marker Hunter adds a history stop to an outing. Waterfall Power asks children to observe and sketch from a viewing area. Keep winter plans flexible, dress for the conditions, and choose a short outing when that is what your family needs.