Nature Club

Nature Club is back at the Philadelphia City Institute on Thursday, October 23, as part of its fall run. It's a program for school-age kids that gathers them in the downstairs meeting room for crafts and activities with an emphasis on nature and sustainability. If you've got kids who like to make things and talk about the outdoors, this is exactly the kind of thing to keep them busy on a Thursday afternoon.

The program is part of the library's LEAP (Library Early Access Program) of 'Great Programs,' so it's one of the regular offerings they run for families. The focus is on nature and sustainability, and the activities are designed for school-age children, so it's a good fit for kids who've outgrown the toddler stuff but still want to get their hands dirty with a project. The downstairs meeting room becomes the home base for the group, and the focus stays on nature and sustainability throughout the session.

There's a bit of history to the name, too. The program used to be called the Kids Gardening Club, but it was renamed Nature Club, and it's not just a fall thing. There's a summer chapter that meets in the children's room on Thursdays from June 4 to August 13, so the club keeps going even when the school year lets out.

This fall session runs on Thursdays from September 10 to December 17, with each meeting starting at 3:30 PM. You'll find it at the Philadelphia City Institute, 1905 Locust Street—that's 19th and Locust on W. Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5730. It's free, and it's open to school-age children.