A guided river valley nature walk for kids 8-13
About this Event
On Sunday, August 9, naturalist Michelle Harris takes a small group of kids ages 8 to 13 into the river valley on foot. Three and a half hours, twenty dollars, one afternoon. You plan nothing.
The valley runs right through the city and it is free to walk into, which most of us have done, along the paved stretches on the way to somewhere else. Knowing what you are looking at is the part that takes a guide.
What the afternoon looks like
Your child spends three and a half hours on the trails with Michelle. They look under leaves for the small homes animals build, learn to name the native plants feeding the valley's wildlife, and trace how the North Saskatchewan carved this valley out of the ground.
It moves at a kid's pace. There is room to stop and crouch down when something catches their eye, which suits a kid who does better when nothing is rushed.
The afternoon ends with a hands-on nature art project by the river. They come home with something they made.
Tickets:
One ticket per child, ages 8 to 13. A parent or caregiver who wants to walk along with the group buys nothing extra.
Your guide
Michelle Harris founded Nature Loop and wrote The Green Side of Edmonton, a guide to the city's wild spaces. She has spent years leading children's groups through those places and teaching kids to notice what they would otherwise walk straight past. Signed copies are available on site.
Drop off, or stay for the afternoon
Both work. Send your child on their own and they spend the afternoon with the group with Michelle close by throughout, or walk along yourself at no extra charge.
What to bring
Each child needs a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent. A water bottle and a snack. Clothing and footwear suited to forest exploration, which usually means clothes you don't mind getting muddy.
Washrooms and a bottle refill station are in the amenity building by the parking lot.
Where to meet
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park, Edmonton. Look for Michelle at the south end of the zoo parking lot, holding a Canadian flag. Parking is in the same lot, and the walk begins and ends there.
If the weather turns
We watch the forecast and send an update the Friday before. If conditions change on the day, you hear from us by 11 AM either way. A cancelled walk means a full refund.
Presented by: The Edmonton Permaculture Guild
This walk is one of a growing set of programs we're building for kids, leading toward our Children's Permaculture Camp in August 2027.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 22.63
