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Blue Jay
It's a New Year, and
New Playgrounds
are on the way
So while the site is prepared, the new play equipment constructed and the fancy
new play surface is installed--
Blue Jay's
Playground Area
is Closed.
While we wait,
- Please enjoy time in the Natural Play Area
- Bring some balls or frisbees and have fun on the Open Play Fields
- Take a StoryWalk® (see the January StoryWalk® schedule)
- Try the Blue Jay's digital Nature Bingo scavenger hunt (the scavenger hunt URL is written on the yellow "Playground Closed" signs near the construction site).
- Remember that our sister park, Green Hills County Park off of Deponie Drive, has an awesome playground.
And don't forget to have a
of what Blue Jay's
NEW Playground
will look like!
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Holiday
Schedule
Blue Jay Point
County Park
(and other Wake County Parks, Recreation and
Open Space facilities)
will be
Closed
on
New Year's Day
We look forward to seeing you in the park other days!
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Blue Jay is currently closing each day at 5:30 p.m.
We change to a 6 p.m. closing on January 11th.
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While visiting
Blue Jay Point,
please comply with guidelines set forth
by the state:
- gathering with no more than 50 people outdoors.
- wearing a mask indoors or out when physical distancing is not possible
Measures to limit the number of people allowed in the park at one time remain in place. If a gate is closed or cones are blocking the entrance, that means the park has reached capacity.
Please check our website for an
up-to-date status of park services as we work through the phases of the COVID-19 reopening plan.
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at Blue Jay Point is now Closed
until March.
See you then!
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Announcing the January Instagram Contest Theme:
Best Winter Scene!
It's a great time of year to get out in your favorite @WakeGovParks and capture the scenery. Remember that you can submit old photos too! Be sure to tag your photos to #WakeParks365 to enter.
Good Luck!
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Blue Jay Explorers
Virtual 3-day Winter
Mini-Camp
February 8, 10 and 12, 2021
M-W-F virtual Zoom sessions from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
plus a wrap-up session on Friday from 3 - 3:30 p.m.
Join Blue Jay staff for a VIRTUAL Winter mini-camp! From the sun and stars to Global Positioning Systems (GPS's) join us as we progress through time to learn how explorers have used tools to find their way through our world. With virtual guidance from Blue Jay's educators each camp day and with the assistance of a grown-up in your home, you will use these tools to become skilled in such activities as letterboxing and geocaching while exploring the wilds of your backyard, neighborhood or Blue Jay Point County Park.
Each camp day will be comprised of an hour-long interactive Zoom camp session followed by at-home crafts and activities, a suggested outdoor excursion, and a short "quest" to complete and report on at the next camp session. The week will end with a short Friday afternoon wrap-up session.
A camp packet of supplies will be available to pick up one week before virtual camp begins and a short list of basic at-home supplies is required. All virtual campers will need to have access to a computer or laptop for the Zoom sessions and a cell phone is needed for several of the activities. While virtual campers must be within the targeted age range of 9-12 years, the crafts, activities and excursions would be enjoyed and enhanced by family participation as a whole.
Virtual camp registration is limited--please make a "best effort" commitment to make the online meetings, fully participate in at-home activities and engage with virtual camp staff and campers during this FREE camp.
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Wake County has compiled an amazing set of factually accurate and up-to-date information including the Dashboard and a link to
COVID-10 cases by zipcode, cases per 10,000 residents by county or average age of positive COVID tests. Hot tip--these numbers change!
Click on the COVID-19 image above to access this wealth of information!
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January Opportunities
Family Wildlife Series:
Let There be Light! (Virtual via Zoom)
Saturday, January 16
2:30-3:30 p.m.
ages 5 and up
Free
Sunlight is the key to every ecological community in our area. We'll explore how the energy provided by sunlight makes a difference in each level of the food pyramids at Blue Jay Point County Park. Through fun movements and videos, learn about the plants and animals around you in this virtual program for participants ages 5 and up.
A Zoom link will be sent out to all registered participants the day before, to the email address used to register for this program.
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Nature Storytime:
Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit (Virtual via Zoom)
Wednesday, January 27
10 - 10:30 a.m.
ages 2 - 6 years
Free
What do the animals do when the snow falls to the ground and all the trees are bare? Find out with Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit, by Il Sung Na, how animals survive in the winter in this interactive story time. Virtual program for participants 2-6 years old.
A Zoom link will be sent out to all registered participants the day before, to the email address used to register for this program.
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Available
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
daily from
January 9
to
February 7
Take a self-guided StoryWalk®!
(with bonus self-guided activity****)
Oh, when will it snow again? wonders the little family who lives inside the snow globe. They long for a snowstorm, if only someone in the big family would pick up the snow globe and give it a shake. Baby would love to. She notices the little family, but the snow globe is too high for her to reach. But then Baby is alone during a snowstorm. Will the snow globe family get a chance to go sledding, too?
You can enjoy this enchanting story by
Jane O'Connor on the StoryWalk® along the Laurel Loop Trail with the beginning near the (closed) Playground. Enjoy the StoryWalk® between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day, weather depending, rain will cancel.
****On the back of each storybook page there is thematic information and suggested activities to do at home. There is also one activity you can pick up a helpful item to complete that activity at home. You'll have to do the StoryWalk® to find out more.
New to the StoryWalk® concept? It is a great way to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time! Laminated pages from a children's book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you pelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
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Blue Jay Point and
Green Hills County Parks
are two of the locations for
homeowners to drop off
old undecorated Christmas Trees
immediately after Christmas.
These trees will be chipped up and
used to mulch trails in the park, making us smell
like Christmas for months!
For more information and locations click
on the Happy Trails graphic below.
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Virtual Group Programs
are now available!
Are you a teacher or scout leader of
elementary-age kids?
We are now offering -
Exploring Plants and Animals (1st grade)
Life Cycles at the Pond (2nd Grade)
Piedmont Ecosystems (5th Grade)
Pondering Ponds (5th Grade)
These Free Virtual Group Programs
are held on Zoom or Google Meet.
Add something new to your
school day or scout meeting!
Each 50 minute program will include a live time environmental educator interacting with the kids and interpreting some recorded videos of nature in the park, plus Q&A--give us a try!
Learn more about these particular programs here!More topics and grades coming soon!
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Have you visited
Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space educators have been hard at work creating fun and educational content for all ages that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home until we can invite you for educational programs
in the parks again!
Check back often as we frequently add
new items, and be sure to check out similar
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Have you enjoyed a day in the park recently?
Walked on our trails? Enjoyed a family picnic? Or simply have something you'd
like us to know about? Please follow the
link below to fill out a short anonymous survey so we can know what our park
visitors are thinking about!
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Contact us:
Blue Jay Point County Park 3200 Pleasant Union Church Road Raleigh, NC 27614 (919) 870-4330 Find us on Facebook! |
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