If wading in a spring-fed trout stream was on your bucket list for the summer, here is some good news: You still have time, and you don’t need to drive to the mountains.
An interactive trout stream is just one of many features at Schramm Park State Recreation Area. The park is located a short drive south of Papillion on NE Highway 31 and welcomes visitors of all ages. The Schramm Education Center is the perfect place for families to learn and play, with both indoor and outdoor spaces.
The park was made possible thanks to the generosity of the late E.F. Schramm, a geology professor at the University of Nebraska. The Schramm Education Center includes freshwater aquariums, a sturgeon touch tank, the Eagle’s Nest reading nook and Maker Space, an indoor play area, a virtual reality mountain biking trail, and much more.
Outdoor spaces include a picnic area, a natural playground, hiking trails, ponds, a suspension bridge, a geological outcrop with fossils, and an interactive natural stream. A new addition is the Treehouse Classroom, where guests are encouraged to embrace unstructured free play during Treehouse Time. Outdoor Education Specialist Kelly Ekue describes the treehouse as the perfect place to sit in a nook with a book, ponder a puzzle, or build with loose parts. Guests can also take in the view of the Canyon Ponds and the Platte River.
“I’ve been an educator for nearly 30 years, and I absolutely love having the privilege to teach in our parks,” Ekue says. “Our park landscapes are the perfect setting for learning. Participants can interact with nature to learn meaningful lessons about Nebraska’s wildlife and habitats, while also enjoying the health and wellness benefits from being in the natural setting itself.”
Plan a visit for your family before the school year starts or suggest a classroom field trip this fall. Check the outdoornebraska.gov website for times, prices, and scheduled events such as the upcoming Snakes of Nebraska program. The Education Center offers a great opportunity to discover Nebraska’s natural habitats. Don’t forget to pull off your shoes and wade in the stream while you are there.
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