Valentine's Activities for Families

Having trouble finding a sitter this Valentine’s Weekend? Winthrop Rockefeller Institute is offering fun and educational workshops the entire family can enjoy:

FOR THE LOVE OF NATURE

Bird Watching at Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge (Feb. 13 & 14)
Nature Extravaganza (Feb. 14)
Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 15)

FOR THE LOVE OF COOKING

Culinary Classes for Adults with Debbie Dance Uhrig (Feb. 14)
Nutritious Cooking Class for Children (Feb. 15)

Overnight accommodations are available. Call (501) 727-5435 for room reservations. To receive an educational program room rate, be sure to mention which event you plan to attend.

Registration deadline is TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9.

Interested in activities for couples? Click here.

FOR THE LOVE OF NATURE
A buffet lunch will be available in River Rock Grill on Saturday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Bird Watching
Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, Dardanelle, AR
Saturday, February 13 AND Sunday, February 14 | 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Register now

The bus for the bird outing trip to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge will depart at 9 a.m. from the Rockefeller Institute’s main lobby and will return by 12:30 p.m. At the refuge, you will meet Leif Anderson, forester in the U.S. Forest Service for 30 years. Leif’s major responsibility is to examine the forest for birds, rare plants, archeology, and forest health prior to designing a timber sale. His passion is citizen science, and he spends 30-40 days per year on various projects, including being Arkansas regional editor for National Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count.

The primary purpose of Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge is to provide a winter home for a portion of the millions of ducks and geese that use the Mississippi Flyway each year. During the winter, it is not uncommon for the refuge to host up to 100,000 ducks and geese at once. Bald eagles are also common in the winter from December through February. Recently through a joint project with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, about 13 Trumpeter Swans have been located in Holla Bend and can be seen regularly at the refuge.

Bird viewing will take place in the comfort of the heated bus. Binoculars are also provided.
Limited to 14 participants. $10/person, $25 family maximum

Nature Extravaganza
This option is available only to children of couples attending Sunday culinary classes.
Heritage Farmstead Teaching Barn
Sunday, February 14 | 9 a.m. – noon | 3 – 6 p.m.
Register now

While you’re cooking with Debbie, let your children experience the splendors of Petit Jean Mountain and our Heritage Farmstead through activities including a nature scavenger hunt, hiking, nature journaling, and other fun environmental games. Ages 7 and up are welcome. A boxed meal will be provided.
Limited to 15 participants per group. $15

Great Backyard Bird Count
Winthrop Rockefeller Institute
Monday, February 15 | 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is ideal for children ages 8-12 who want to explore the outdoors and learn about Arkansas’ native birds. Participants are asked to bring birding field guides and binoculars (if you do not own a pair of binoculars, we will provide them). This is an outdoor event, so dress accordingly.
Limited to 20 total participants. Free

FOR THE LOVE OF COOKING

Culinary Classes for Adults with Debbie Dance Uhrig
Culinary Classroom
Sunday, February 14 | 9 a.m. – noon (Lunch) | 3 – 6 p.m. (Dinner)
Register now

Debbie Dance Uhrig is Master Craftsman of Culinary Arts for Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, where she teaches cooking classes and assists with the development of programs at the Culinary & Craft School. With a Master’s degree in Education, Debbie has been actively teaching in the classroom for over 20 years. She is also a noted culinary writer for several newspapers, founder of “The Covered Dish,” and author of the cookbook Simply Yours. Many of the recipes featured in today’s cooking classes can be found in this cookbook.

In the lunch class, participants will prepare grape salad, meatloaf, smashed potatoes, green beans vinaigrette, sourdough biscuits, and molasses zucchini cake. Dinner instruction will include stuffed mushroom caps, spinach salad with honey mustard dressing, asparagus bundles, chicken crepes, Parker House rolls, and white chocolate cheesecake with red raspberry sauce. While you’re cooking with Debbie, your children can participate in the “Nature Extravaganza.”
Limited to 24 participants. $40/person for lunch, $50/person for dinner

Nutritious Cooking Class for Children
Culinary Classroom
Monday, February 15 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Register now

In this hands-on course taught by Debbie Dance Uhrig, Master Craftsman of Culinary Arts for Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, children (ages 8-12) will learn how to prepare a variety of healthy foods – from healthy pancakes and fruit parfaits to Italian sausage bake and green bean bundles wrapped with turkey bacon.
Limited to 24 children (maximum of two kids per adult). $25/child, $40 for two children

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