Programs at the Stable at Glen Echo Park

The Stable at Glen Echo Park features Discovery Creek's eco-immersion exhibitions, hiking trails to Minnehaha Creek, and a beautiful Children's Garden complete with an underground tunnel, aquatic habitats, giant sandpit, and a tree house.

Forest Tales: Rotten but not Forgotten
Feature Exhibition from October - May
Feature Exhibition from September – May
Journey to the forest and take a trek into the world of trees! Climb into the treetops and crawl underground to explore the “rotten” world beneath your feet! Visitors and students can investigate the role that trees and decomposition play in our ecosystem, while tunneling like an earthworm, crawling inside a rotting log, and learning about life in the leaf litter. Along the way children will come face to face with animals that make their homes in temperate forests as well as discover the amazing invertebrates that help break down dead stuff. Exploring the stories that trees and the soil can tell us, children will discover many wonderful pieces of tree trivia and investigate how decomposition helps make soil that provides food for plants, animals, and us. Come and join us to learn about these often overlooked resources of our natural world.

Each program description is followed by a parenthetical list of the National Science Content Standards with which it correlates - click on the list for more information.

Programs for 3 year olds
Length: 1 hour

Forest Friends
Go on a forest safari in search of local animal friends. Do they fly? Do they crawl? Do they swim? Do they dig? Hop around this happening habitat to see who lives, sleeps and eats among the trees. (LS, SI)


Winter Wonders
Note: Offered December - February only
When the weather gets colder, what happens to our animal friends? Follow the story of some local animals as they search for the best way to survive the winter. Will they hibernate, migrate or stay awake? Meet live animals and go on a hike through the winter woods. (LS, PS SI, SP)

Leaf Litter Critters
Location: Glen Echo
Bring your kids to meet some of the
wonderful animals we call Decomposers. Your students will learn all about the important job these animals have; helping to get rid of all the dead leaves and things that fall on the forest floor by turning them into soil for more plants
to grow in! (LS, SI)

Programs for Pre-K - 1st Grade
Begining at age 4
Length: 1 hour

The Decomp Romp
Location: Glen Echo
Have your students ever thought about where all the leaves go after they fall from the trees? Take them to Discovery Creek where they will learn all about decomposition and meet some wonderful animals that help make the process of decomposition happen.
(LS, SI)

Forest Tails
note: Can be booked for the second grade as well
Frolic with us in the woods as we take an up close look at the animals that live in our local forests. How do they use the forest and why is the forest important to them? Examine how the animals are able to live in the changing temperate forest environment through the seasons. (LS, SI)

Soil Sleuths
Get your hands dirty as you investigate the world of soil! Turn into a saucy soil chef as you learn the recipe for healthy dirt. Investigate how rocks and leaves are broken down over time to become part of the soil. Meet some of the amazing critters that call the soil home! (ESS, LS, SI)

Snow Place Like Home
Where do all the animals go in winter? Discover the hidden hibernators, the mighty migrators, and subnivean superheroes (those that live in the space between the snow and the soil) and learn how they have adapted to life in the deep freeze. (LS, PS SI, SP)

Soil Sleuths
Location: Schoolhouse and Glen Echo
Get your hands dirty as you investigate the world of soil! Turn into a saucy soil chef as you learn the recipe for healthy dirt. Investigate how rocks and leaves are broken down over time to become part of the soil. Meet some of the amazing critters that call the soil home!
(LS, SI, SP)

Tremendous Trees
Location: Glen Echo
What makes a tree a tree? Put on your boots and explore trees from roots to shoots! Branch out from the ordinary classroom as we take an up close look at trees and explore trees growing in our woods to learn more about these terrific plants!

Programs for 2nd - 6th Grade
Length: 1 1/2 hours

The Dirt on Soil
Get your hands dirty as you investigate the world of soil! Learn how dirt is made and discover why it is so important. Meet live decomposers and learn why these creatures are essential to the earth. Students will take part in the making of brand new soil as they investigate how rocks and leaves are broken down over time to become parts of the soil. (ESS, LS, SI)

You Are Here!
Feeling a little lost? Learn how to use maps, compasses, and landmarks to navigate your way through the world around you. Discover how different navigational systems help guide animals and humans by directing them to their destinations. Once students have mastered their map and compass skills, we'll solve an outdoor mystery mission on the Museum's trails! (SI, ST)

Rotten but not forgotten
Location: Glen Echo
Students will investigate the important role decomposition plays in our
ecosystem. Join us as we get up close and personal with a world of critters that live beneath our feet and help to turn dead things into soil. Come help us to explore the often not thought about process of decomposition!
For information on Teacher Memberships, click here.