​Crowder District Park offers public, educational programs for all ages year-round. Visit our Calendar of Events and sign up for our E-Newsletter to stay up to date!

 

Scroll down or select a program series below to learn more about our offerings: 

​Special Events Discover the Park​ Nature Families​ ​Nature Watchers
Family Features​ ​Crowder By Night ​Tiny Tots ​Kids Get Crafty
 
 
Now Available!
Ready to sign up? Register online for public programs.
Search for programs by location, age, date and more!
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To register in person or by mail please download a copy of our Registration Form or call 919-662-2850 for more information.

For a printout of quarterly programs and events, and for a paper copy of the Wake County parks program registration form, refer to the program bulletin below.
 
 
The following programs are offered at Crowder District Park, 4709 Ten Ten Road, Apex. For more information, contact the park at 919-662-2850 or email crowderdistrictpark@wakegov.com.
 
Our staff also offers public programs at Historic Yates Mill County Park.
Check out the Yates Mill programs page for details.
 

Special Events

Save-the-date for the 2018 Frog Fest 
Saturday, April 7, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
 
Sun Power
Sunday, July 16, 2–3 p.m.
Harness the power of the sun with the whole family! Cook a snack using a solar cooker, use the sun’s rays in an art project, and learn the importance of the sun in our ecosystem. Make sure you wear sunscreen! For all ages; fee: $1/person. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment.
 
Life Under a Log
Sunday, August 27, 2–3 p.m.
What do you see under a fallen tree? Lots of decomposers at work and other critters looking for a dark, cool place to rest. We’ll search for spiders, slugs, and bugs and learn how important rot, or decomposition, is in nature. For all ages; fee: $1/person. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment.
 
Reptiles Rock!
Sunday, Sept. 24, 2–3 p.m.
Meet "Popcorn" our Corn Snake and her reptile friends! Learn unique reptile adaptations, observe scales using hand lenses, and find out what makes these critters so special. Then discover what other reptiles might live at Crowder District Park. For all ages; fee: FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment.
   

Discover the Park

Walk in the Woods
Saturdays, July 15, August 26 and September 23, 11 a.m.–noon
Take a walk in the woods and discover the animals and plants that call our park home. Help collect data for our Natural Resource Inventory Database and other citizen science projects. All experience levels are welcome. Let's learn together! For ages 14 & up; fee: FREE. Registration is not required.
 
Discovery Tables:
 
Bees
Saturday, July 15, 1–3 p.m.
Stop by our FREE discovery table to learn about bees! Registration is not required. The display table is located by the upper playground.
 
Crowder’s Critters
Saturday, August 26, 1–3 p.m.
Stop by our FREE discovery table to learn fun facts about the animals of the park! Registration is not required. The display table is located at the upper playground.
 
Bugs
Saturday, Sept. 23, 1–3 p.m.
Stop by our FREE discovery table to explore the bugs of the park! Registration is not required. The display table is located at the upper playground.

Moth Party!
Friday, July 28, 7:30–8:30 p.m.
On any given summer night, hundreds of moths are on the wing in North Carolina. A park naturalist will attempt to attract as many as possible using light and a recipe of fermented fruit and sugar. Learn about moths, how they are important to the ecosystem, and make a craft! For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children); fee: $1/person. Registration is required.
 
Summer Fun
Friday, August 18, 7:45–8:45 p.m.
Join us for a night of family fun at the park! Play nature games, observe nocturnal animals, and roast s'mores around the campfire. For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children); fee: $1/person. Registration is required.
 
Night Lights
Friday, Sept. 29, 7–8 p.m.
Lights help us see in the dark, but what happens when there is too much light at night?  Explore light pollution and how different shades of light affect wildlife. Measure the stars and discover the importance of the moon for sea turtles. Then have fun with glow sticks! For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children); fee: $1/person. Registration is required.

A weekday program that is fun for the whole family!
Turtles and Tortoises
Wednesday, July 5, 11 a.m.–noon
There are over 200 different species of turtles in the world! Join us and discover which turtles and tortoises call Crowder home. Play turtle tag, discover the shells and eggs of these reptiles, and observe a few species up close! Then make a fun turtle craft to take home. For all ages; fee: $1/person. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment.
 
Beautiful Butterflies
Tuesday, August 15, 11 a.m.–noon
Butterflies are flying all over the park! Learn about their habitat, adaptations, and life cycle through hands-on activities and games. Observe common NC butterflies throughout the park on a fun nature walk, then make a colorful butterfly craft to take home. For all ages; fee: $1/person. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment.
 
The Needs of Seeds
Tuesday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m.–noon
Do you know that seeds provide the bulk of the world's daily food? From your breakfast cereal to your dinner pizza, your food started as a seed! Learn the parts of a flower and what a seed needs to grow. Create a seed mosaic and then take home a Lima bean to grow in your window. For all ages; fee: $1/person. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment.

Tiny Tots

A half-hour weekday program for children ages 18 months to 3 years old
 
Shapes in Nature
Monday, July 3, 10:30–11 a.m.
Practice your shapes and develop your fine motor skills through games and hands-on activities. Then go on a nature hunt to find plants and animals of different shapes. For ages 18 months–3 years (with an accompanying adult); fee: $2/child. Registration is required.
 
Senses in Nature
Monday, August 14, 10:30–11 a.m.
Squish, touch, and feel your way through center-based activities as we explore our senses.  Make a smelly painting and splash in our sink/float bucket. For ages 18 monthsþ3 years (with an accompanying adult); fee: $2/child. Registration is required.
 
ABCs in Nature
Monday, Sept. 11, 10:30–11 a.m.
Practice your ABCs and develop your fine motor skills through games and hands-on activities. Play a letter game and go on a scavenger hunt! For ages 18 months–3 years (with an accompanying adult); fee: $2/child. Registration is required.
 
Preschool children with accompanying adult(s) discover the natural world through stories, hands-on nature activities, games, crafts and guided outdoor exploration. Meet at the Park Pavilion. For ages 3–5 with an accompanying adult. Fee: $4/child. Preregistration is required.
 
Turtle Tales
Wednesday, July 5, 1–2 p.m.
Turtles carry their homes on their backs wherever they go! Read a story about these slow-moving animals and discover the difference between land and water turtles. Take a nature walk to discover how many and what kinds of turtles are swimming in our pond, then make a fun turtle shell. For ages 3–5; fee: $4/child. Registration is required, and children must have adult accompaniment.
 
Winged Wonders
Wednesday, August 16, 1–2 p.m.
Butterflies feed on the sweet nectar from flowers, but what do caterpillars eat? Read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and discover caterpillars' favorite foods. Learn the life cycle of butterflies and make a caterpillar necklace. Then go on a scavenger hunt to search for favorite foods of these neat insects! For ages 3–5; fee: $4/child. Registration is required, and children must have adult accompaniment.
 
Super Seeds
Wednesday, Sept. 13, 1–2 p.m.
Seeds come in all shapes and sizes. Sort seeds from trees, plants, and flowers to discover the many seeds of the park. Learn which animals like to eat seeds of trees and flowers. Then make a living necklace to take home! For ages 3–5; fee: $4/child. Registration is required, and children must have adult accompaniment.
 

Kids Get Crafty 

Summer Sun
Monday, July 24, 11 a.m.–noon
It is summer and the park is heating up! Create a craft inspired by the sun. We will bring the materials if you bring the imagination! For all ages (adult accompaniment required for all children); fee: FREE. Registration is not required.
 
Fishy Fun
Monday, August 28, 11 a.m.–noon
Come make a fish-themed craft to celebrate our fish friends in Crowder Pond. We will bring the materials if you bring the imagination! For all ages (adult accompaniment required for all children); fee: FREE. Registration is not required.
 
Autumn Leaves
Monday, Sept. 25, 11 a.m.–noon
Fall is almost here! To celebrate, make a craft inspired by the leaves changing colors. We will bring the materials if you bring the imagination! For all ages (adult accompaniment required for all children); fee: FREE. Registration is not required.