Hi Playful Acorns friends!

October is just around the corner and kicks off with a fun collaboration with our friends at 4-C (Community Coordinated Child Care). We’re excited to co-host another FREE play group with this local nonprofit, and we still have a few spots left for our Tuesday, Oct. 1st afternoon event in Fitchburg! Learn more below or register here!

We are also looking forward to a morning Halloween-themed yoga and music class with Kirsten of Lagom at Lioness Fitness on Sunday, Oct. 13th! Learn more below or register here!

There are plenty of other local opportunities to meet with caregivers and kids ages 0-5+ through child-led play, nature exploration, and more! Check out the curated community calendar of events at the end of this post to get more info!

Are you new to Playful Acorns? Welcome! You can read our story here and most recent posts here.

Free 4-C Play Group & Open Play

Our good friends at 4-C (Community Coordinated Child Care) are holding these upcoming free play opportunities for kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers.

• Oct. 1: Tuesday from 3-4:30 p.m. at Fitchburg Public Library (register here)
• Oct. 15: Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon at 4-C, 5 Odana Ct, Madison (drop-in)

Watch a reel of a recent play group!

Family Yoga and Music in Fitchburg

Oct. 13: Sunday from 10:30-11:15 a.m. Join Kirsten with Lagom for a Halloween-themed yoga and music class at Lioness Fitness in Fitchburg. The class is $20 per family. Save the dates and pre-register for the upcoming classes in this series (11/10: Harvest and 12/8: Penguins). Kirsten also holds other classes at MYArts in Madison, Haumea in Sun Prairie, and Present Not Perfect in Lake Mills. Learn more online!

Watch a reel of a recent yoga class!

Fall Together in the Park!

Our friend Christie with Naturing in Madison, which offers nature play experiences throughout Dane County, shared that their Fall Together in the Park series still has a few remaining spots! Z and I participated in the spring series and had a great time getting to know other kids ages 2-8 and their caregivers while playing and creating art outside! You can enroll mid-season at a pro-rated rate and learn more here if you’re interested in the following programs, held from 9:30-11 a.m. Tuesdays at Hoyt Park, Fridays at McGaw Park, and Saturdays at Westmorland Park.

Watch a reel of a recent nature class, and download a free fall signs nature hunt.

Upcoming Community Events

Playful Acorns programs/those that Sam are involved in are bolded. There are several other local organizations holding awesome family-friendly events that might be of interest to you, too! Many of these events focus on nature exploration, true play, and process art. Remember to check out more events listed at Macaroni KID, NatureNet, Friends of Urban Nature, Madison Parks, MMSD Play & Learn, Monroe Street Arts Center, Madison School & Community Recreation, local libraries, gyms, and more. Here are a few recurring events to check out!

• Monona Public Library (Nature Playgroup: select Tuesdays)
• Henry Vilas Zoo (Stroller Safari: select Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
• Olbrich Gardens (Story and Stroll: select Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays)
• Neighborhood House (Busy Town: Tuesdays and True Play: Thursdays)
• Aldo Leopold Nature Center (Baby Bugs: Wednesdays)
• Schumacher Farm Park (Kids on the Farm: Wednesdays)
• Belleville WI Moms (Our Backyard Playgroup in Verona: Fridays)
• October Mammoth Hike Challenge (LC Babywearing Hikes: Tuesdays)

Please confirm registration details, costs, and age ranges at the links below. Stay tuned for more events in the next email!

* Events with one asterisk are evening events
** Events with two asterisks are for adults only

• Monday, Sept. 30: Wiggles and Words (weekly storytime starts), Goodman South Library, Madison
• Tuesday, Oct. 1: True Play Makers (weekly series starts), Alicia Ashman Library, Madison
• Tuesday, Oct. 1: Preschool Art Club (fall series starts), Rock Paper Scissors, Middleton
• Tuesday, Oct. 1: Free Play Group with 4-C, Fitchburg Public Library
• Tuesday, Oct. 1: Paint 100 Kindness Rocks for CG’s Centennial, 210 Progress Dr, Cottage Grove
• Wednesday, Oct. 2: Sensory Stations for Ages 1-5, Middleton Public Library
• Wednesday, Oct. 2: Baby & Me Yoga (weekly series starts), Madison Women’s Health
• Thursday, Oct. 3: Baby & Me Yoga and Music (weekly series starts), MYArts, Madison
• Saturday, Oct. 5: Music and Yoga for Tiny Kiddos (weekly series starts), Haumea Yoga, Sun Prairie
• Saturday, Oct. 5: Baby & Me Yoga, Haumea Yoga, Sun Prairie
• Saturday, Oct. 5: Littles Playgroup with Autism Society, Dream Park, Sun Prairie
• Saturday, Oct. 5: Books and Water (rain date 10/12), Orchid Heights Park, Middleton
• Sunday, Oct. 6: Family Adventure Club with Hike & Heal Wellness, TBD
• Sunday, Oct. 6: Exploring Clay for Kids Class, Hello Art Hatchery, Stoughton
• Sunday, Oct. 6: Family Nature Walk, UW Arboretum, Madison
• **Sunday, Oct. 6: Crafting in the Wild, Hoyt Park, Madison
• Monday, Oct. 7: Lil’ Explorer Adventure, Lussier Family Heritage Center, Madison
• Tuesday, Oct. 8: Art Playgroup (fall series starts), Rock Paper Scissors, Middleton
• Wednesday, Oct. 9: Art Playgroup (fall series starts), Rock Paper Scissors, Middleton
• Friday, Oct. 11: Art for the Family with Sursum Corda, 143 Washington St, Oregon
• Saturday, Oct. 12: Free Playgroup, University Houses Parent Co-op Preschool
• Saturday, Oct. 12: Fall Wonder and Exploration Outing, Indian Lake County Park, Cross Plains
• Sunday, Oct. 13: Family Fall Hike, Indian Lake County Park, Cross Plains
• Sunday, Oct. 13: Lagom Yoga and Music Class, Lioness Fitness, Fitchburg
• Sunday, Oct. 13: Yard Games and Outdoor Movie, The Glen Golf Park, Madison
• Wednesday, Oct. 16: Sensory Stations for Ages 1-5, Middleton Public Library
• Thursday, Oct. 17: Mini Explorer Hike, Donald County Park, Mount Horeb
• Friday, Oct. 18: Madison Area Nature Playgroup, Governor’s Island, Madison
• *Friday, Oct. 18: Fall Fest, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona
• Saturday, Oct. 19: Hayrides & Hikes, Cherokee Marsh-North Unit, Madison
• Sunday, Oct. 20: Halloween Yoga and Mini Kit, Present Not Perfect, Lake Mills
• Sunday, Oct. 20: Family Nature Program: Falling Into Fall, UW Arboretum
• Monday, Oct. 21: Autumn Toddler Yoga, Middleton Public Library
• Tuesday, Oct. 22: A to Z Art & Animals (weekly series starts), MSCR West, Madison
• Wednesday, Oct. 23: Young Explorers Club, Sun Prairie Public Library
• Friday, Oct. 25: Halloween Family Fun Night, Warner Park Rec Center, Madison
• Saturday, Oct. 26: Bird & Nature Adventures, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona
• Saturday, Oct. 26: Ice Age Trail Tyke Hike, Lodi High School Trailhead, Lodi
• Monday, Oct. 28: Not-So-Spooky Bat Storytime, Grace Coffee, Cottage Grove
• *Tuesday, Oct. 29: Family Sing-Along, The Wonder Studio, Verona
• Wednesday, Oct. 30: Downtown Madison Family Halloween, Capitol Square
• *Wednesday, Oct. 30: Not So Scary Halloween Luminary Hike, Lussier Family Heritage Center, Madison
• Friday, Nov. 1: Flicker Wild Church: Samhain, Farley Center, Verona