Youth Adventure Education on the Water Trails

Project Description

In 2026, ICON will launch our Adventure Education Series, with four first-time offerings designed to engage central Iowa kids and their loved ones in hands-on outdoor experiences that build connections to Iowa’s natural environment and support academic and social-emotional learning.

Sessions will encourage exposure to, exploration of, engagement with, and conservation of Iowa’s waterways.

Summer 2026 Sessions:
Water Tales is a caregiver/child(ren) session that exposes pre-k and early elementary students to Iowa’s waterway environments. A combination of sensory experiences and storytelling will fuel young imaginations while creating positive associations with the natural world.

Creek Stomping is an exploratory workshop that introduces kids to the biology and ecology of the river and riparian environments. ICON will engage students' curiosity as they use toolkits (magnifying glasses, nets, etc.) and practice “noticing” and “wondering” to build early stewardship skills.

River Fishing provides youth an opportunity to engage deeply in a direct, tangible connection to local waterways. Practicing ethical angling, identifying fish species, understanding habitat needs, and seeing the impact of pollution or invasive species builds connections between individual actions and the health of the waterway, encouraging future conservation behaviors.

Water Safety workshops will introduce young people to appropriate safety practices when interacting with natural bodies of water to decrease risk and increase decision making. Fun and interactive lessons will heighten engagement while building the foundation for environmental stewardship.