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Looking for a fun place to celebrate your birthday?

Wood Lake Nature Center offers a variety of birthday parties that are fun, educational, and the mess stays with us!  Wood Lake provides a naturalist-led activity and use of the party room with tables, chairs, and tablecloths.  Payment is due when the party is booked.

Time: 2 hours (hour with naturalist, hour in party room)

Resident Fee: $85 for up to ten children,
$4 per additional child, 15 children maximum

Non-Resident Fee: $95 for up to ten children, $4 per additional child,  15 children maximum

Green Birthday (optional add-on): $10 (includes reusable plates, bowls, cups, and silverware, and recycled paper napkins)

Treat Bags (optional add-on): $2/bag (includes WLNC pencil, magnifying bug box, jumping frog, wooden bird whistle, tattoo, plastic insect)

To schedule a birthday party, choose one of the party themes listed below and
call 612-861-9365.

Birthday party themes:

Critter Hunt Birthday: (ages 4-5)
Become nature detectives and go outside to look for clues from hidden animals that live at Wood Lake. Available year-round.

Treasure Hunt Birthday: (ages 5-9)
Lead the group in a hunt for hidden treasure. Solve riddles along the trail to receive puzzle-piece clues.  Once the puzzle is put together, the treasure can be found! Available year-round.

Scaly Tales Birthday: (ages 5-12)
Meet a live snake, turtle, and salamander and learn all about these amazing creatures! Then, time permitting, hike outside with a naturalist to look for reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitat. Available year-round.

Creatures from the Marsh Birthday: (ages 5-12)
With nets and buckets at hand, go out to the floating boardwalk to discover what kind of creatures lurk in the Wood Lake marsh. Available May-September.

Tracks and Trails Birthday (ages 5-12)
Make a plaster track to take home, then hike the trails to look for real animal tracks outside. Available year-round.

Games Birthday: (ages 7-12)
Hawk vs. crows, squirrel tag, everybody’s it! Play an assortment of fun, nature-oriented games chosen by the birthday child. Available year-round.

Big Foot Birthday: (ages 7-12)
Snow conditions permitting, hike over hill and dale to explore the winter wonderland with big snowshoe feet. Snowshoe rental is an additional $1 per person.

Survival Birthday: (ages 8-12)
Learn basic survival tips and build an outdoor shelter. Work together and see if your group can survive! Available year-round.

Please note that helium balloons and alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the building. 

Wood Lake recommends:

  • Invite the party guests 5-10 minutes before the party start time so the naturalist can start the program on schedule
  • Book your party about two months in advance- weekends fill up quickly!
  • Smaller birthday parties typically allow the birthday child, as well as the other attendees, to receive more personal attention.  Groups of about 10 children typically work best.
  • Come back for more!  We offer many party themes and can adapt them to older age groups (including adults!) if requested.

Have a green birthday!

What's a green birthday?
A green birthday is an environmentally-friendly party.  Reducing waste is key to having a green birthday.

Why should I have a green birthday?
1) It reduces unnecessary waste
2) It saves money
3) It prevents landfills from filling
4) It's better for the environment

How can I have a green birthday?
Choose to produce as little waste as possible.  Wood Lake offers a green party option- for $10, you can use Wood Lake's reusable plastic cups, plates, and bowls; silverware; and recycled paper napkins.  Or bring your own!  Below are some suggestions anyone can follow to make any party greener.  Even if you choose not to follow all the suggestions, every little bit helps.  Just do as much as you can!

Common Choice Green Choice
Invitations from a store E-mail or homemade recycled paper invitations
Presents wrapped in wrapping paper Ask for presents wrapped in recycled or reusable gift wrap:
fun containers, cloth bags, or even clothes work great
and can even be part of the gift!
Juice boxes and
single-serving snacks
Juice in a pitcher or reusable container, one big bag of snacks
Paper plates, napkins,
cups, and tablecloths
Reusable plates and cups, cloth napkins, and Wood Lake's reusable vinyl tablecloths
Plastic utensils Silverware or a snack that doesn't require utensils
Gifts with lots of packaging
or require batteries
Ask for gifts with less packaging that don't require batteries
Balloons and streamers Reusable decorations or Wood Lake's natural beauty
Bottles of water Drinking fountain
Anything else? Anything that makes the least amount of waste possible