Saturday Splatter: Forts, Fossils, and Forest Fun

If your kids have spent too much time staring at a screen this week, it’s officially time to trade the pixels for some good old-fashioned North Carolina mud.

The Museum of Natural Sciences is taking the classroom outdoors this Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation. Their Nature PlaySpace is getting a serious upgrade for the morning, stocked with a rotating stash of “adventure essentials” like giant building blocks, puppets, and fort-making gear. A dedicated museum play facilitator will be on-site to help the little ones navigate their own imagination, whether that involves staging a puppet show in the pines or mastering the art of the perfect bubble.

Designed specifically for the seven-and-under crowd, this session is less about rigid rules and more about “getting messy” in the best way possible. While the specific supplies change weekly—ranging from outdoor painting to elaborate costume play—the goal remains to connect Raleigh’s youngest explorers with the natural world. Since this is a drop-in event, there’s no pressure to arrive exactly at kickoff, but you’ll definitely want to dress the kids in clothes that can handle a little dirt and a lot of Raleigh sunshine.

📍Prairie Ridge Ecostation | 1671 Gold Star Dr, Raleigh, NC 27607
📅 Saturday, March 7, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
💰 Free (Drop-in, no registration required)
📎 https://naturalsciences.org/prairie-ridge

Consider this your permission slip to let the kids be wild animals for a couple of hours—just maybe bring a towel for the car ride home.

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Lisa Jeffries Nobling

Founder + Principal at Raleighwood Media Group + Raleighwood Event Group

Lisa Jeffries, a 2007 graduate of N.C. State University’s Wilson College of Textiles and Poole College of Management, has been working in marketing since 2005. Her professional work experience ranges from independent, family-owned businesses to high-growth tech startups. Lisa’s specific areas of expertise include new media and experiential marketing for service-based businesses. Passionate about her clients, cheering on the Wolfpack, live music, and rescuing animals, she is also the founder of Raleigh Food & Wine and Raleighwood Wifi. Lisa completed the NC State + SKEMA Business School MSc dual master’s degree program in Global Luxury Management in 2016, publishing a thesis, Location-Based Opportunities for Brand Marketing With Emphasis on Application Within Luxury Industries.

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