Featured Events
Calendar of Events
Swift Science (Taylor’s Version)
Shake off the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary at Swift Science (Taylor's Version) and JOIN us from 1-3pm for an exhilarating journey into the captivating world of science and fun at the Museum at Prairiefire. Get ready to unleash your inner scientist and fearlessly dive into a plethora of STEM activities including "Shake It Off" Slime and "Evermore" Engineering. Strike a pose at our photo booth and capture unforgettable moments with friends and family as you immerse yourself in the excitement. Indulge in delicious snacks and sip on glittery Swiftie drinks that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more!
Saturday, June 1st 1:00-3:00 pm
Price: $10
Little Explorer’s Club: Too Much T-Rex
Join us at the Little Explorers Club: Too Much T-rex! Young students will dive into a thrilling book, uncover fascinating facts about dinosaurs, and get hands-on with a carnivore craft activity. Don't miss this exciting adventure in learning and creativity!
JAM Sessions: Weather and Climate
This year’s weather has been very unusual…65 degrees in the middle of winter! While this is certainly not unheard of, it is well above normal for this time of year. Why do we get such extreme temperature swings, and what does it mean for the climate? It’s complicated! While the climate is changing, there are other factors that determine weather patterns. Some of these occur in cycles. Also, there is a difference between weather and climate.
When it comes to weather, it boils down to wind and circulation caused by differences in temperature. To demonstrate this, we will observe what happens when hot water and cold water are slowly released into a tub of room temperature water. We will also examine the different types of weather events that result from wind, and how weather differs from climate.
Little Explorer’s Club: Simple Machines
Join us for an exciting Little Explorers Club: Simple Machines! Young students will dive into the world of mechanics as they read a captivating book and discover fascinating information about simple machines. Then, they'll roll up their sleeves for a hands-on craft activity, where they'll construct their very own cars. Don't miss this fun-filled learning adventure!
Little Explorer’s Club: Simple Machines
Join us for an exciting Little Explorers Club: Simple Machines! Young students will dive into the world of mechanics as they read a captivating book and discover fascinating information about simple machines. Then, they'll roll up their sleeves for a hands-on craft activity, where they'll construct their very own cars. Don't miss this fun-filled learning adventure!
JAM Sessions: Weather and Climate
This year’s weather has been very unusual…65 degrees in the middle of winter! While this is certainly not unheard of, it is well above normal for this time of year. Why do we get such extreme temperature swings, and what does it mean for the climate? It’s complicated! While the climate is changing, there are other factors that determine weather patterns. Some of these occur in cycles. Also, there is a difference between weather and climate.
When it comes to weather, it boils down to wind and circulation caused by differences in temperature. To demonstrate this, we will observe what happens when hot water and cold water are slowly released into a tub of room temperature water. We will also examine the different types of weather events that result from wind, and how weather differs from climate.
Little Explorer’s Club: Simple Machines
Join us for an exciting Little Explorers Club: Simple Machines! Young students will dive into the world of mechanics as they read a captivating book and discover fascinating information about simple machines. Then, they'll roll up their sleeves for a hands-on craft activity, where they'll construct their very own cars. Don't miss this fun-filled learning adventure!
JAM Sessions: The Power of Erosion
As we get into late spring, we see the effect of frequent and heavy rains on the land. This is especially noticeable along the banks of creeks and rivers. Flooding and riverbank erosion can be dangerous to nearby homes and other buildings that are not protected. Some engineers specialize in an area called flood mitigation, and these engineers work to design and construct methods for limiting the negative effects of flooding. This can include city layouts, avoiding development in low areas, and building barriers along rivers to keep flood waters from breaking their banks. In this JAM, you will design and construct your own barrier using a variety of provided materials (including moss) and test it out in our water table.
Little Explorer’s Club: Ancient Architecture
Join the Little Explorers Club for a captivating journey into Ancient Architecture! Young students will delve into a fascinating book, uncovering secrets of the past. Through engaging activities, they'll discover intriguing facts and embark on a creative adventure, crafting their own pyramid using sugar cubes. Don't miss this hands-on exploration of history and imagination!
JAM Sessions: The Power of Erosion
As we get into late spring, we see the effect of frequent and heavy rains on the land. This is especially noticeable along the banks of creeks and rivers. Flooding and riverbank erosion can be dangerous to nearby homes and other buildings that are not protected. Some engineers specialize in an area called flood mitigation, and these engineers work to design and construct methods for limiting the negative effects of flooding. This can include city layouts, avoiding development in low areas, and building barriers along rivers to keep flood waters from breaking their banks. In this JAM, you will design and construct your own barrier using a variety of provided materials (including moss) and test it out in our water table.
Little Explorer’s Club: Ancient Architecture
Join the Little Explorers Club for a captivating journey into Ancient Architecture! Young students will delve into a fascinating book, uncovering secrets of the past. Through engaging activities, they'll discover intriguing facts and embark on a creative adventure, crafting their own pyramid using sugar cubes. Don't miss this hands-on exploration of history and imagination!
Little Explorer’s Club: Ancient Architecture
Join the Little Explorers Club for a captivating journey into Ancient Architecture! Young students will delve into a fascinating book, uncovering secrets of the past. Through engaging activities, they'll discover intriguing facts and embark on a creative adventure, crafting their own pyramid using sugar cubes. Don't miss this hands-on exploration of history and imagination!
JAM Sessions: Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
Anybody up for some ice cream? Following the steps in this activity, you can make your own. During this JAM, you will investigate water’s changes of state and the effect of adding substances that lower the freezing temperature of water. You may add some additional ingredients - you will probably want to! - to enhance the taste of your ice cream. In addition to the science, you will have the chance to appreciate how some of our all-time favorite foods were made by hand!
Little Explorer’s Club: Water Cycle and Properties
Join us this week at the Little Explorers Club as we dive into the fascinating world of water! In this engaging session, we'll learn that water can exist in three different forms: solid, liquid, and gas. Through fun activities and interactive demonstrations, we'll explore how water transforms from ice to liquid to vapor, experiencing firsthand the wonders of the water cycle. We'll also delve into why water is essential for all living things. From plants to animals, water plays a vital role in sustaining life on Earth. Through games, stories, and hands-on experiments, our little explorers will gain a deeper understanding of just how precious and important water is to the world around us.
JAM Sessions: Moths and Butterfiles
Did you know that there is a National Moth Week? This year, it will be from July 20-28. If you have done a summer JAM here in the past, you know that we tend to spend a lot of time outdoors in our wetlands. In doing so, we observe many different types of insects. Butterflies are some of the most recognizable insects out there, but did you know that there are far more species of moths than there are of butterflies?
We often don’t notice moths much for two reasons: they aren’t usually very colorful and most are active at night. In this JAM, we will take a close look at moths (as well as butterflies) through outside observations and a pollination experiment.
Little Explorer’s Club: Wild Weather
From thunderstorms to tornadoes, we'll learn all about the powerful forces of nature that shape the landscape around us. Explorers will embark on a journey of discovery through interactive activities, hands-on experiments, and engaging stories. Through fun and educational games, our young adventurers will learn how to stay safe during severe weather events and understand the importance of weather preparedness. With plenty of opportunities for creativity and exploration, this week's Little Explorers Club is sure to be a whirlwind of excitement! Join us as we uncover the mysteries of wild weather in the Midwest and inspire a lifelong love of learning about the world around us. Don't miss out on this weather-tastic adventure!
JAM Sessions: How to Make Bee Bath
We all know that bees need flowers for their food source - they collect pollen to feed their young and feed on nectar as an energy source. What else would a bee need? Of course, they need shelter for constructing nests, such as cavities in trees. (Speaking of shelter, most bees actually nest in the ground and are solitary. The European honeybee is unusual since the vast majority of bees don’t make huge hives!)
Bees, like all animals, also need water. In this JAM, we will learn how to make a bee bath. It’s similar to a bird bath, but much smaller and constructed a little differently. Placing a small earthenware bath (like a clay pot) outside in a sheltered area in summer is a great way to provide a water source for our bees!
Little Explorer’s Club: Ocean
Dive into the wonders of the ocean with this week's Little Explorers Club! Children ages 3-5 will embark on an exciting journey to discover the mysteries of the ocean and its various zones. From the sunlit surface to the mysterious depths, we'll learn about the creatures that call each zone home. Plus, get ready to get crafty as we create our very own jellyfish to take home! Join us for an ocean adventure filled with learning and fun!
JAM Sessions: Stomp Rockets
How do rockets propel themselves into space? It’s not just a matter of pointing it straight up in the air…it needs to escape Earth’s orbit, called the “escape velocity”, or else it will simply fall back to Earth! In this JAM, we won’t be launching rockets into space, but we will have fun making paper rockets and shooting them up 20, 30, even 40 feet up in the air using just our feet! You will learn the basic forces that allow rockets to travel, and then make your own paper rocket that you will launch into the air. You will be challenged to think about aerodynamics and weight in order to make your rocket as efficient a projectile as possible.
Little Explorer’s Club: Bioluminescence
Join us this week at the Little Explorers Club, where our curious adventurers aged 3-5 will dive into the enchanting world of bioluminescence! They'll embark on an illuminating journey as they learn about glowing sea creatures and their fascinating habitats. Plus, get ready to get crafty as our explorers create their very own Angler Fish headbands to light up their own adventures! Don't miss out on the fun-filled exploration this week!
JAM Sessions: Marshmallow Catapults
Continuing with an engineering theme, we will learn about catapults and how to make them. In the past, we constructed them using craft sticks and rubber bands. As a twist, this time you will be tasked with coming up with your own design. We will provide a range of materials you can use, but you are free to make whatever design you like with the materials.
Think about what you want your catapult to do. Do you want it to fling multiple marshmallows at once, or do you want to keep it single and just make a design that flings a single marshmallow as far as it can? Think of the physics involved for your chosen design.
Little Explorer’s Club: Symbiosis
Join us this week at the Little Explorers Club, where we'll dive into the fascinating world of symbiosis! Children aged 3-5 will embark on an adventure to learn about the special relationships between creatures in nature. Our young explorers will have a hands-on experience as they create their very own sea anemone, discovering how these amazing creatures rely on symbiotic relationships to thrive in the ocean. Join us for a fun-filled exploration into the wonders of the natural world!
JAM Sessions: Botanical Art and Illustration
Late September is the best time to be out in our wetlands to see the greatest variety of wildflowers in bloom. Did you ever wonder how scientists and artists used to record images of living things before the invention of the camera?
There is a long history, going back thousands of years, of plants and animals being drawn and painted. Some of the most beautiful flower drawings and paintings were carefully made by illustrators who spent hundreds of hours drawing a just a few flowers because it was important to be accurate! In this JAM, we won't make you draw or paint for hundreds of hours, but you can practice illustrating using a flower from our wetlands.
Little Explorer’s Club: Forests
Join us at the Little Explorers Club this week as we venture into the enchanting world of forests! Children aged 3-5 will embark on a journey through the trees, discovering the wonders of the forest ecosystem. Get ready to unleash your creativity as we delve into tree art activities, where every little explorer can craft their own masterpiece inspired by the majestic trees of the forest. Don't miss out on this magical adventure!
Little Explorer’s Club: Too Much T-Rex
Join us at the Little Explorers Club: Too Much T-rex! Young students will dive into a thrilling book, uncover fascinating facts about dinosaurs, and get hands-on with a carnivore craft activity. Don't miss this exciting adventure in learning and creativity!
JAM Sessions - Creek Water Sampling: Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
When you think of a wetland (maybe a marsh, swamp, or small creek flowing from a pond), what living things come to mind? Most of you can probably name a few large animals and at least one or two plants. Did you know, though, that these large living organisms actually depend on tiny, even microscopic, plants and animals to survive. Without them, a wetland would not function the way it does. These animals can also tell us something about the health of our waterways.
In this natural science JAM, you will each be given some sampling tools for collecting specimens in our creek water behind the museum. You’ll observe your “catch” through microscopes and learn about the amazing tiny things swimming in the creek.
Little Explorer’s Club: Too Much T-Rex
Join us at the Little Explorers Club: Too Much T-rex! Young students will dive into a thrilling book, uncover fascinating facts about dinosaurs, and get hands-on with a carnivore craft activity. Don't miss this exciting adventure in learning and creativity!
JAM Sessions - Creek Water Sampling: Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
When you think of a wetland (maybe a marsh, swamp, or small creek flowing from a pond), what living things come to mind? Most of you can probably name a few large animals and at least one or two plants. Did you know, though, that these large living organisms actually depend on tiny, even microscopic, plants and animals to survive. Without them, a wetland would not function the way it does. These animals can also tell us something about the health of our waterways.
In this natural science JAM, you will each be given some sampling tools for collecting specimens in our creek water behind the museum. You’ll observe your “catch” through microscopes and learn about the amazing tiny things swimming in the creek.
Little Explorer’s Club: Dino Diets
Join us for an exciting Little Explorers Club: Dino Diets! Young students will delve into the world of dinosaurs through reading, interactive learning, and a fun craft activity. Discover fascinating facts about dinosaur diets and create your own fruit and veggie stamp art to take home. Don't miss this educational and creative adventure!
Little Explorer’s Club: Dino Diets
Join us for an exciting Little Explorers Club: Dino Diets! Young students will delve into the world of dinosaurs through reading, interactive learning, and a fun craft activity. Discover fascinating facts about dinosaur diets and create your own fruit and veggie stamp art to take home. Don't miss this educational and creative adventure!
JAM Sessions - Know Your Dirt: Soil Sampling and Testing
Whether it’s on a vast prairie, in the mountains, or in your yard, soil is valuable stuff. Everything that supports terrestrial life ultimately comes from soil. Did you know there are many different types of soil? Just like species of living things, soil actually has several different classifications. Understanding the different classifications of soil is useful if you want to grow a vegetable garden or have a patch of land to support native plants on your property.
There is a simple test you can do to test what makes up your soil, and it involves shaking a sample of soil and water in a jar! You will be given a picture of the soil texture pyramid to help you identify what type of soil you have just by looking at layers in your jar.
Little Explorer’s Club: Dino Diets
Join us for an exciting Little Explorers Club: Dino Diets! Young students will delve into the world of dinosaurs through reading, interactive learning, and a fun craft activity. Discover fascinating facts about dinosaur diets and create your own fruit and veggie stamp art to take home. Don't miss this educational and creative adventure!
JAM Sessions - Know Your Dirt: Soil Sampling and Testing
Whether it’s on a vast prairie, in the mountains, or in your yard, soil is valuable stuff. Everything that supports terrestrial life ultimately comes from soil. Did you know there are many different types of soil? Just like species of living things, soil actually has several different classifications. Understanding the different classifications of soil is useful if you want to grow a vegetable garden or have a patch of land to support native plants on your property.
There is a simple test you can do to test what makes up your soil, and it involves shaking a sample of soil and water in a jar! You will be given a picture of the soil texture pyramid to help you identify what type of soil you have just by looking at layers in your jar.
Little Explorer’s Club: Life Cycles
Join us for an engaging session where young learners will dive into the fascinating world of life cycles. Through interactive reading, informative discussions, and hands-on experiments, participants will discover the wonders of growth and transformation in nature. Don't miss this opportunity to ignite curiosity and exploration!
JAM Sessions: Bird Beak Adaptions
What bird species do you know? When you picture them in your mind, what do their beaks look like? Chances are, you know several different birds and know that their beak shapes can look very different from one another. Why would this be? Why is the large and curved hawk’s beak, for example, so different looking from the short and pointy beak of a chickadee? Well, it has to do with picking out and eating certain foods.
In this JAM, you will practice using different types of utensils as “beaks” to gather a variety of different food sources. You will notice that some utensils are better at picking up certain food shapes and sizes than others. During your foraging, we will keep track of which beak shape picks up which food best!
Little Explorer’s Club: Life Cycles
Join us for an engaging session where young learners will dive into the fascinating world of life cycles. Through interactive reading, informative discussions, and hands-on experiments, participants will discover the wonders of growth and transformation in nature. Don't miss this opportunity to ignite curiosity and exploration!
Little Explorer’s Club: Life Cycles
Join us for an engaging session where young learners will dive into the fascinating world of life cycles. Through interactive reading, informative discussions, and hands-on experiments, participants will discover the wonders of growth and transformation in nature. Don't miss this opportunity to ignite curiosity and exploration!
JAM Sessions: Bird Beak Adaptions
What bird species do you know? When you picture them in your mind, what do their beaks look like? Chances are, you know several different birds and know that their beak shapes can look very different from one another. Why would this be? Why is the large and curved hawk’s beak, for example, so different looking from the short and pointy beak of a chickadee? Well, it has to do with picking out and eating certain foods.
In this JAM, you will practice using different types of utensils as “beaks” to gather a variety of different food sources. You will notice that some utensils are better at picking up certain food shapes and sizes than others. During your foraging, we will keep track of which beak shape picks up which food best!
Little Explorer’s Club: Food Chain
What do animals eat? What animals eat other animals? Ignite your child's curiosity with an adventure into the fascinating world of nature's interconnected web – the Food Chain! Join us for on this Little Explorers Club where young minds will embark on an exploration like no other. Through captivating storytelling, engaging activities, and hands-on learning, our little explorers will unravel the secrets of the wild and make a food chain of their very own!
JAM Sessions - Solar Eclipses: Make Your Own Eclipse Viewer
An eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun…so why don’t we see one every month? (The new moon phase happens when the moon is positioned between the two, which usually happens once a month.) Solar eclipses don’t happen very often, and a total solar eclipse is even more rare. On April 8th 2024, a large portion of North America, running from Mexico to northeast Canada, will witness the continent’s second total solar eclipse in just seven years!
In this JAM, you will learn why these events are so rare, and why they are so special to astronomy lovers around the world. You will also design your own eclipse viewer for safely viewing an eclipse.
Little Explorer’s Club: Food Chain
What do animals eat? What animals eat other animals? Ignite your child's curiosity with an adventure into the fascinating world of nature's interconnected web – the Food Chain! Join us for on this Little Explorers Club where young minds will embark on an exploration like no other. Through captivating storytelling, engaging activities, and hands-on learning, our little explorers will unravel the secrets of the wild and make a food chain of their very own!
Little Explorer’s Club: Food Chain
What do animals eat? What animals eat other animals? Ignite your child's curiosity with an adventure into the fascinating world of nature's interconnected web – the Food Chain! Join us for on this Little Explorers Club where young minds will embark on an exploration like no other. Through captivating storytelling, engaging activities, and hands-on learning, our little explorers will unravel the secrets of the wild and make a food chain of their very own!
JAM Sessions - Solar Eclipses: Make Your Own Eclipse Viewer
An eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun…so why don’t we see one every month? (The new moon phase happens when the moon is positioned between the two, which usually happens once a month.) Solar eclipses don’t happen very often, and a total solar eclipse is even more rare. On April 8th 2024, a large portion of North America, running from Mexico to northeast Canada, will witness the continent’s second total solar eclipse in just seven years!
In this JAM, you will learn why these events are so rare, and why they are so special to astronomy lovers around the world. You will also design your own eclipse viewer for safely viewing an eclipse.
Little Explorer’s Club: Animal Track
Scientists look for ways animals are different and how they are the same and this helps us learn about animals! Did you know some Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club and learn all about the amazing world of animals!
Little Explorer’s Club: Animal Track
Scientists look for ways animals are different and how they are the same and this helps us learn about animals! Did you know some Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club and learn all about the amazing world of animals!
JAM Sessions: Insect Houses
In this JAM session we focus on the build of a home. Or rather an insect home. Different insects use all sorts of strange materials to create their homesteads not only to protect themselves, but also their colony! Learn about several different species of insects that have mastered the art of tiny architecture and become an architect yourself when creating your very own insect home!
Little Explorer’s Club: Animal Track
Scientists look for ways animals are different and how they are the same and this helps us learn about animals! Did you know some Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club and learn all about the amazing world of animals!
JAM Sessions: Insect Houses
In this JAM session we focus on the build of a home. Or rather an insect home. Different insects use all sorts of strange materials to create their homesteads not only to protect themselves, but also their colony! Learn about several different species of insects that have mastered the art of tiny architecture and become an architect yourself when creating your very own insect home!
Little Explorer’s Club: Animal Kingdom
Scientists look for ways animals are different and how they are the same and this helps us learn about animals! Did you know some Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club and learn all about the amazing world of animals!
Little Explorer’s Club: Animal Kingdom
Scientists look for ways animals are different and how they are the same and this helps us learn about animals! Did you know some Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club and learn all about the amazing world of animals!
JAM Sessions: Pop Bottle Moss Terrariums
As you go on in school, you will learn more and more about plants. From respiration (how plants “breathe”) and photosynthesis to plants as food for wildlife, there is always more to learn about plants.
Did you know some of the very first plants that existed were mosses? In this plant science JAM, you will design a habitat in a pop bottle for a clump of moss. You can decorate your moss garden with small, natural objects.
Little Explorer’s Club: Animal Kingdom
Scientists look for ways animals are different and how they are the same and this helps us learn about animals! Did you know some Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club and learn all about the amazing world of animals!
JAM Sessions: Pop Bottle Moss Terrariums
As you go on in school, you will learn more and more about plants. From respiration (how plants “breathe”) and photosynthesis to plants as food for wildlife, there is always more to learn about plants.
Did you know some of the very first plants that existed were mosses? In this plant science JAM, you will design a habitat in a pop bottle for a clump of moss. You can decorate your moss garden with small, natural objects.
Little Explorer’s Club - Kansas Geology: Prairiefire Rocks
What rocks can you find in Kansas? Kansas has mostly sedimentary rocks, but you can find one type of igneous rock and you can find lots of fossils in Kansas Limestone! Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club adventure and learn all about the rocks that make up our beautiful state of Kansas!