Watkins Regional Park, Maryland

We visited the Watkins Regional Park for two reasons. First, we wanted to get a second badge in the Agents of Discovery app. Second, we wanted to check out the fabulous Wizard of Oz playground.

Visiting the park

We started working on the Agents of Discovery app at the park's Nature Center. We answered one or two questions, then talked to the ranger inside to get more info. As I chatted with the ranger, the kids wandered off and looked at the exhibits.

Inside the nature center

A screech owl

Turtle

We went out back of the nature center and discovered a few more parts of the app challenge. The app had some Augmented Reality games that were easier for my children than for me. The app pointed us down a trail that led to the Wizard of Oz playground. As we approached, we saw the Gale's barn.

Barn playground

Other side of the barn

Toto's doghouse

We played on all sorts of equipment, including a Kansas State Fair balloon, a City of Oz playground, and some musical instruments. Since they were outside, the instruments were mostly bells or chimes.

One way to Oz

In the Oz playground

Climbing out of the city of Oz

Playing music

Playing bells

A small sign explained that in the book, Dorothy's magic shoes were silver. I guess ruby looks better in a film, so the ruby slippers are what everyone remembers. Slides were made of the shoes and of course they were red.

Slipper and slide

Going down the slide

Two wood sculptures represent the witch and the scarecrow.

Wicked Witch of the Watkins

Did the scarecrow lose his head?

We followed the Yellow Brick Road out of the playground and it led us to a carousel. The kids couldn't resist going for a ride.

Riding a pony

Riding on the inside track

My other kids on the carousel

The park's train was out of order, so we didn't get to ride around the park. They do have a mini-golf course but it was too hot for us to commit to eighteen holes.

Railroad crossing

We continued on to the Old Maryland Farm. On the way was a tree that was so easy to climb, I didn't want to stop the kids when they asked to try it out.

Climbing the tree

The farm had a bunch of locations for the app, so we got a few more questions answered.

We saw the sign

The farm was mostly livestock. Displays showed chickens, hogs, goats, horses, and many other animals. We saw one chicken walking around outside the coop, which was surprising. The chicken came toward us, I assume because she thought we had food. My youngest child was super-nervous about a free-range chicken. I kept between him and the bird.

Chickens in their yard

A shy hog

Turkey!

Goats relaxing in the heat

Horses having lunch

Even with all the sites we found, the app still only had 15 of 29 challenges completed. By that point, the heat was too hot and everyone was ready to go home. We did not get a badge for finishing the Agents of Discovery app in the park, but maybe we'll take mommy back to the park to show it off to her and get the other half of the locations completed.

Patuxent Research Refuge and Wildlife Visitor Center 2019--Agents of Discovery and More

We visited the Patuxent Research Refuge and Wildlife Visitor Center again since they are offering a special app-based Agents of Discovery program.

Visitor center

The program has visitors explore the grounds and answer questions on the local flora. We followed the trails to the first stop, tapped an icon on our smart phone, and answered a question about a nearby tree.

Question on the phone

Finding the holes

Evidence of something fantastic

The holes in the above tree were made by a yellow-bellied sapsucker, a type of woodpecker that eats the sap and any insects that come out of the tree after the holes are made. My son loved the name of the bird.

The trail continued on through the refuge.

View of Lake Reddington

At one point, the app had us look for a trail sign and then examine a nearby tree.

Clue on the app

Clue in real life

After deciphering that mystery, we followed a trail to a small stream and had to figure out which way the water flowed. The app suggested switching on the app's compass but my son pointed out a much easier solution to knowing which way was which.

A compass on the railing!

Another question had us identifying a tree by its leaves, another typical scientific practice.

Tree!

An ad on the trail for what we were already doing

When we got back to the visitor center, my son got a badge for finishing all six missions. We found a map that showed a bunch of other parks in the Washington area using the same app. If we complete six parks, we get an even fancier badge!

Brochure and badge

The visitor center also had some family activities based around colors, camouflage, and butterflies vs. moths. We learned a lot. One fun game had us matching caterpillars to moths or butterflies.

Matching game

Another fun activity was making our own butterfly. We didn't invent a caterpillar to go with it, but maybe next time.

Giving color to our butterfly

A new species

Another board challenged visitors to spot animals camouflaged in natural terrains. We had a tough time spotting them. We didn't feel bad though, because the docents showing us the activity had a tough time too!

Going back to the reserve was fun and we will definitely search out some of the other parks that are hosting Agents of Discovery.