March has arrived, and we all know what that means: maple sugaring season! This year, bring your kids to the maple syrup tap and learn about the age-old tradition of transforming sap to syrup. They will love getting outside and having a chance to taste sugar on snow (also known as maple candy, but it’s natural, right?).
Twin Cities Kids Club has the resources and hot tips you need to make raising a family easier and lots more fun.
Join the club
and get instant access to awesome discounts and resources for families in your area.
Minnesota has a plethora of activities and maple syrup-themed events this March. We recommend contacting the organizers directly before the event to ensure that prices and scheduled times are up to date.
Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center
Hastings
March 7th – 12th, 2021 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Contact: (651) 437-4359
Price: Free (donations encouraged)
Come ready to tap trees in the sugarbush! You will learn to identify maple trees and how to tap them for that sweet sap. Come ready for the outdoors, and don’t forget your mask. Pre-registration is required, and groups will be staggered to ensure everyone’s safety.
Cleary Lake Regional Park
Maple Sugaring with Family and Friends
Prior Lake
March 16, 21, 23, 26 or 27, 2021
Register with activity code: 2SCT1200
Price: $20/group (max 10 people)
Bring your family for a private lesson about making maple syrup. You will have fun tapping a tree, learning about how they boil sap, and get to taste some yummy syrup too. Come dressed for the outdoors and get ready to have some late-winter fun.
View this post on Instagram
Eastman Nature Center
Dayton
March 6, 7, 13, & 14, 2021
Register with activity code: 2ENC1200
Price: $25/group (max 9 people)
Visit the sugarbush and learn all about sugaring with your own private lesson. You will learn about the tapping and collection process. Have fun listening to stories from times of yore while you watch sap be boiled in a cauldron over the fire. This program is entirely outdoors.
Maple Syrup Season Celebration
March 21st & 28th, 2021 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Register online with activity code: 2ENC1210
Free
Celebrate maple syrup season! You and your family will love exploring the sugarbush at this fun and delicious event. Learn about the sugaring process, help with sap collection, and then watch as the sap is boiled into syrup over a fire. Don’t forget your camera! There will be a photo op with Paul Bunyan. Drop by anytime.
March 22nd, 2021 from 10:00 -11:30 am or 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Register online with activity code: 6ENC1037
Price: $4/per person
For ages 5+
Your kids will enjoy discovering how to identify and tap a maple tree, collect sap and bring it to the cauldron for boiling. Your homeschoolers will learn about how temperature affects sap flow and how much sap is needed to make a gallon of syrup. This program is entirely outdoors.
French Regional Park
Plymouth
Maple Syruping with Family and Friends
March 13, 16, 18, 21, 22 or 24, 2021
Register online with activity code: 2REC1200
Price: $15/group (maximum 15 people)
This fun all-ages group is great for the whole family. Your personal educator will lead your group through the sugarbush. You’ll learn how to tap a tree, experience how sap is boiled into syrup, and then taste the final product! This program is entirely outdoors. Pre-registration required.
Geocaching for Maple Syrup with Family and Friends
March 15, 20, or 23, 2021
Register with activity code: 2REC1201
Price: $25/group (maximum six people)
Get ready for an adventure! Your family will learn geocaching basics and all about the maple sugaring process while you adventure through the park. This is a fun way to taste the sweet treats of spring. Event staff will provide all needed equipment. Reservations are required
View this post on Instagram
Gale Woods Farm
Minnetrista
March 13th, 2021 from 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Register with code: 2GAL1200
Price: $8/per person
Ages 8+
Your family will love to visit the farm and explore the sugarbush! You will get to learn the sugaring process, including tapping trees, boiling sap, and making maple syrup. If you love what you learn, you can purchase supplies to tap the trees in your own backyard and make syrup at home. Reservations are required.
Harriet Alexander Nature Center
Roseville
Saturday, March 20th from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday, March 21st from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Price: Free
Join our team of volunteers to assist in this year’s sugaring season. Your family will enjoy collecting sap while learning about traditional sugaring methods. At this sweet event, you will get the chance to hear Native American stories about sugaring and eat maple treats.
View this post on Instagram
Jay C. Hormel Nature Center
Austin
Saturday, March 13th & Saturday, March 20th from 9:00 – 11:00 am
Price: $15 per family
Join nature center staff to get into the spirit of the sugaring season! Your family will have fun venturing out into the sugarbush and collecting sap from maple trees. From there, you will learn the tips and tricks of making maple syrup. Visit the Sugar Shack to see the sap evaporator at work.
View this post on Instagram
Lowry Nature Center
Victoria
Saturday, March 13th, 2021, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Price: $5/ea
Ages 2+
Enjoy a fun afternoon learning about making maple syrup and maple sugar. You will learn about methods from the past and the present. After you observe a tree being tapped, stop at the sugar shack to see sap boiled into syrup. Best yet, your kids will love to taste the sweet final product. Reservations required.
Saturday, March 6th, 2021, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Price: $5/each
Ages 5+
Our resident Naturalist Elise will bring your family on a hike through the sugarbush. You will learn about the tradition and science of this age-old craft. After finding and tapping a sugar maple tree, you will get to visit the evaporator where the team boils the sap to make syrup. Your kids will love to taste the results!
View this post on Instagram
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Chaska
MapleFest Pancakes To Go
Saturday, March 27th, 2021, from 8:00 am – 2:00pm
Price: $20/person.
Pick up a pancake breakfast to go! Each serving includes 3 pancakes, sausage, butter, and 100% pure maple syrup. This annual fundraising event is sure to delight your family. While you’re there, take a maple-themed self-guided tour with our interactive map. The price of breakfast includes admission to the grounds. Registration is required.