Alley Pond Offers Smorgasbord of Classes for Children in February

Children visiting Douglaston’s Alley Pond Environmental Center next month will learn everything from caring for animals and learning sign language to making yogurt parfait.

The center, located at 228-06 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston, is hosting seven classes on a wide range of subjects in February for children, ages seven to 12 years.

Alley Pond will kick off the month with Tracking Winter Wildlife, which will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 5.

This class, which will cost $13 for members and $17 for non-members, will teach children how to determine what types of animals are making their way through Alley Pond during the winter through clues, such as scat or tracks.

Attendees should wear comfortable shoes and prepare to spend several hours outdoors.

On Feb. 12, the center will offer sign language classes from 10:30 a.m. to noon for children, ages 8 and older, and their families.

The program, which will cost $15 per person or $25 for families, is a workshop during which attendees will learn basic sign language. There are a limited number of seats available for this class.

That same day, Alley Pond will present Reach for the Stars, a program with astronomer Mark Freilich during which students will learn about the winter constellations Orion Nebular, the Pleiades Star Cluster and Deep Space Phenomenon.

There will also be a lecture on basic astronomy and an outdoor viewing with a professional telescope. The class will cost $10 for adult members, $12 for non-members and $7 for children.

The program will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The environmental center will present an Animal Care Trainee program on Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. This class will teach local schoolchildren how to feed, brush and clean animals that live at the center.

Children who attend the class will get snacks as well as an animal care trainee certificate. The program will cost $12 for members and $16 for non-members.

On Feb. 26, Alley Pond will offer a class, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, on how to make granola, yogurt and fruit parfaits. Members will pay $18, but the fee for non-members is $23.

The center is also presenting a program for families on global warming that day. The class, which will cost $15 for members and $19 for non-members, will run from 10 a.m. to noon.

The session will include a discussion on the phenomenon of global warming and how it could impact the local community. Visitors will be able to conduct some small experiments and watch a video on the subject.

The following day, local children will be able to learn how to dissect owl pellets. The class, which will cost $15 for members and $19 for non-members, will teach students how to conduct tests with simple household supplies.

The class will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

To register for classes, call 718-229-4000.