Bowie Homeschool: Fall 2026
Session dates, themes, locations and registration deadlines for the fall semester are on the flyer, and every detail is listed below. Download the full Homeschool Guide for everything else you need to know before your first visit.
To register, call the Nature Center at (615) 799-5544 or email the Parks Program Coordinator at [email protected].
About Bowie Homeschool
Bowie Homeschool is specially designed for homeschool families, groups, and co-ops to learn about the fascinating natural world around us. Programs are designed for ages 5 and above, and will be hosted rain or shine.
Two kinds of sessions
This semester, we will continue to offer two kinds of Bowie Homeschool sessions:
- The first session of the month will be Naturalist-led, and consist of a 45-minute rotation period and 45-minute hike (approximately). Registration is required in advance.
- The second session of the month will consist of self-led activities during Open Hours, and registration is not required. You may drop in any time during open hours to complete activities.
Before you come
Please remember to bring appropriate shoes, a water bottle, and dress for the weather, as some activities are held outdoors. Bowie Homeschool is not a drop-off program. For more information please check out our Homeschool Guide, or pick up a copy at Bowie Nature Center.
Fall Picture Day · September 8
On September 8th between 10 and 11am at Historical Village (Triangle School), we will host a DIY photo booth with a vintage desk and chalkboard backdrop to capture special back-to-school memories of our students! Parents may bring any type of camera or props for photos.
Fall 2026 Sessions
September 9 · 10 – 11:30am
Clouds and Climates
Discover how weather is created, forecasted, and measured with Parks Naturalists, then join us for a 45-minute Signs of Weather hike.
September 23 · 10am – 2pm
Sunshine Scholars (Open Hours)
Students will have the option to 1) Create a weather measurement tool, 2) Take a stroll while completing a fall scavenger hunt, 3) Learn about the fall equinox by measuring their shadows over time, and more!
October 7 · 10 – 11:30am
Leaves, Limbs, and Twigs
Identify different types of trees, learn about their growth cycles, and discover how trees provide many benefits to our ecosystems with Parks Naturalists, then join us for a 45-minute Tree ID hike.
October 21 · 10am – 2pm
Forest Friends (Open Hours)
Students will have the option to 1) Make their own tree growth slice based on environmental factors, 2) Create a craft using twigs, 3) Watch leaves change color through a chromatography experiment, and more!
November 4 · 10 – 11:30am
Surviving the Night
Learn how animals use their senses to find food, communicate, avoid predators, and navigate at night with Parks Naturalists, then join us for a 45-minute Senses hike.
November 18 · 10am – 2pm
Senses After Sunset (Open Hours)
Students will have the option to 1) Create a soundscape nature journal, 2) Complete a nocturnal adaptations matching game, 3) Learn how fireflies communicate by replicating bioluminescence with a flashlight, and more!