Playful Acorns will partner with Naturing in Madison, Mud Kitchen Mama, Outdoors We Learn, and Outdoor Kids OT for a free Welcoming Winter event from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17th, at Hoyt Park, 3902 Regent St, Madison. Let’s Welcome Winter Together in nature connection and community. Keep warm around fire, sip hot cocoa, walk our Solstice spiral and Story & Stroll, among other activities. We will also be collecting gently used winter gear for donation to families in need—receiving organization TBD **We encourage families to bring their own mugs for warm beverages. RSVP at https://naturinginmadison.com/welcoming-winter

Playful Acorns will partner with local children's picture book author Elizabeth Seeliger to create a StoryWalk® of "Big Feelings," an interactive story featuring Emotisnails (velcro snail stickers representing various emotions) during the Verona Area Kids Expo. Geared for families of young children (infants through Kindergarten age and their siblings), this free event will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Badger Ridge Middle School, 300 Richard St, Verona. Learn more about preschools, childcare centers, after-school programs, elementary schools, after-school programs, year-round recreational programs, martial arts, gymnastics, dance studios, swim lessons, health care, and more. There will be Verona and Fitchburg area booths set up. Kids will get to play games and do activities.

Playful Acorns will partner with Rosemary Garfoot Public Library, Ice Age Trail Alliance, and We Are OutGrown to offer a nature craft and StoryWalk® through Zander Park. Meet us at 10:30 a.m. Monday, October 16, 2023, at Esser Square, located behind Crossroads Coffeehouse and The Creekside Scoop, 2020 Main Street, Cross Plains, to make and decorate binoculars with library staff. Monty the Mammoth from the Ice Age Trail Alliance plans to make an appearance! Then, at 11 a.m., join We Are OutGrown (Hike it Baby - Madison WI) for a walk along part of the Ice Age Trail through Zander Park to read the StoryWalk® book ("The Hike" by Alison Farrell) and use your binoculars to explore the nature you find along the way. The coffee shop will be open should you like to order a drink (10% of pumpkin spice sales will go toward the Ice Age Trail Alliance as they kick off their Mammoth Hike Challenge fundraiser in October). If you'd like to join the fun earlier, book your spot for the 9:15-10:30 a.m. Pop-Up Play Cafe with Playful Acorns at playfulacorns.com.

Playful Acorns will partner with a local children's picture book author to create a StoryWalk® for guests to explore while connecting with mental health and wellness resources throughout the day at Snapdragon Farm & Stables, 1523 Hwy 78, Mount Horeb. Join us for the free, fun, family-friendly event (11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, October 7, 2023) meant to reduce mental health stigma while learning about and experiencing a wide variety of therapeutic modalities. Enjoy a variety of art experiences such as leaf printing, salve/putty making, wildcrafting, sculpture and more. Plus, live music and a barn dance! There will also be demonstrations of equine, art, movement, and dance therapy, as well as local exhibitors and speakers, including infant massage, face painting, nature scavenger hunt, yoga, puppy visits, and more! The festival will focus on five primary mental health themes: 1. Physical and mental health 2. Nature and mental health 3. Movement and mental health 4. Art and mental health 5. Culture and mental health The event is also the seminal fundraiser for a newly created nonprofit organization, called the CEDAR Center (Connected Equine Development and Rehabilitation Center). Donations are encouraged to increase access to animal-assisted therapy services.

Playful Acorns will partner with the Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area (FOCSRA) to offer nature crafts and activities during this free, family-friendly event at the beautiful lakefront William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park, Shelter 2, 4330 Libby Rd, Madison. Join us for a fall afternoon (1-5 p.m. Saturday, September 23, 2023) that will focus on the benefits of nature to physical and mental well-being. The honored educator and guest is the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. Enjoy engaging activities for all interests and ages! Activities begin at 1 p.m. and include Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin cultural outreach tent and dug-out canoe; lakeshore interpretive hiking trails, canoeing, fishing, nature crafts, CPR demos and heart health games, family bike ride at 1:45 p.m., and reading and flute-playing by The Ho-Chunk Courting at 2:30 p.m. At 3 p.m., there will be a Ho-Chunk Nation drum music performance, as well as a picnic buffet from Cranberry Creek Catering ($10/adult – age 16; $5/youth; 5 & under free). From 3:30-5 p.m., hear from featured speakers Dr. Roopa Shah, MD (SSM Health) on the topic of Wellness in Nature, and Bill Quackenbush (Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Officer) on the topic of Tribal Healing and Nature. A $5-$10 donation is requested to support this event and all Friends of Capital Springs nature-focused programming.