An eventful March at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center

March is chock full of educational and entertaining activities for all ages to experience at the nonprofit Center in Bay Village.

Before the month gets into full swing, take a moment to celebrate a day that doesn’t come around all that often. You and your preschooler can join in on some leaping good fun with hopping critters, flinging flying activities and planetarium programs in honor of Leap Year on Wednesday, Feb. 29. The program runs 10-11:30 a.m. and tickets are on sale now for $5/child.

The new month then kicks off with the chance to Meet an Animal on Saturday, March 3, at 3:00 p.m. With the help of a live turkey vulture, explore the misconceptions and fascinating truths about this commonly misunderstood animal. Director of Wildlife Dave Wolf will discuss this curious bird’s favorite pastimes: vomiting, bed-wetting, even nose-picking! Not for the weak of stomach, but everyone welcome! Tickets will be on sale at the door for $2/person.

The next program in the Log Cabin Samplers series for kindergartners arrives on Monday, March 12. Children ages 4-6 will delight in discovering rainbows! Plus, become nature detectives – explore the hiking trails and gardens, encounter live animals and conduct science investigations! Limited tickets are still available for both timeslots: 9-11 a.m. or 1-3 p.m. at $20/child; members $15/child.

Sunday, March 25, is a special day devoted just to dads and their children! Discover the universe with a planetarium show, meet some of the Center’s resident animals and enjoy engaging hands-on activities at Daddy & Me Day. Festivities run from 12:30-2:30 p.m. and are FREE with RSVP for Center members. Non-members can join in too for just $5/person.

The adults in the family will be sure to find something of interest in a great assortment of activities throughout the month. Another installment of Second Nature, the ongoing series for adults, takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 8. Learn all about your newest neighbors, and find out if coyotes are really a threat to your family and pets. Then on Friday, March 23, it’s date night! Couples are invited to Spring Fling – a night out without the kids! It’s a relaxing adults-only evening at the Center where you can enjoy a night “under the stars,” sitting by the fire and enjoying wine, cheese and conversation with other parents. Invite your friends, call the babysitter and tell your kids it’s YOUR turn to play at the Center! Tickets for both programs are on sale now.

And all month long, the Monthly SkyQuest series in the Walter R. Schuele Planetarium presents a brand new topic. The "star of the show" is none other than our favorite solar celebrity, the sun! Find out more about how our local star works and how it compares to the billions of other stars in the universe. The sun will be shining every Saturday in March at 1:30 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. on the first and third Saturday nights. This offering is great for older kids and adults – tickets go on sale on the day of the show and are $3/person. You can also check out the full assortment of star shows for all ages (including the new range of Sunday shows) at www.lensc.org.

But that’s not all – a whole new season of discovery is about to be revealed! Visit www.lensc.org and preview the Summer Activity Guide for a fresh assortment of activities under the sun for all ages!

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is located at 28728 Wolf Road in Bay Village. Please call 440-871-2900 with questions.