Kids Activities Abound at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

Visitor center at Maumee National Wildlife Refuge
Photo by Charles Pannell

If you're looking for some fun and educational nature activities for your toddler this summer, then look no further than Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. Located on the southern edge of Lake Erie in Northern Ohio, this wetlands refuge is also home to the very popular Nature Tots program.

Presented on the first Saturday of the month at 10:30 AM, these educational programs are designed for children between the ages of three and five. The hour-long programs include nature crafts, stories and outdoor walks. They're great fun for everyone and topics range Animal Tracks, Feathered Friends and Busy Bugs to Super Spiders, Wiggly Worms and Terrific Trees. Truly there's something for just about every taste and curiosity.

The programs are open to children of all abilities. Wheelchair-access throughout the refuge is good with plenty of accessible parking at the Visitors Center, and barrier-free access to the building and the back viewing deck. There's also a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk out back, which winds through the adjacent marsh and allows visitors intimate encounters with the local residents. Arrangements can also be made for golf cart tours of the other refuge trails.

For more information about Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge or the Nature Tots program, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/ottawa or call (419) 898-0014.

And if you're interested in more wheelchair-accessible outdoor activities, then check out the Summer 2010 issue of Emerging Horizons. This summer fun issue includes access and lodging information on Maumee Bay State Park plus the low down on wheelchair-accessible trails and sites in Zion National Park. Add in access news and resources from around the world, and you can see why it's an excellent accessible travel resource. Subscribe today, and start planning your next getaway!