Our Girl Scouts got in touch with nature at the Wings Over Mustatuck last weekend, and it’s an event not to disappoint any nature lover.

Wings Over Mustatuck is held in May at the Mustatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Seymour, Indiana. The event is free, and there are activities for all ages. Our girls enjoyed planting seeds for pollinator plants (bonus: They were for perennials!), making recycled hummingbird feeders and doing some outdoor art projects, before we enjoyed hiking at the refuge.

The Wings Over Mustatuck Festival offers more than just children’s play. There are owl prowls, naturalist talks, guided hikes and tours beyond the “public” areas for groups who register in advance. And there are plenty of easy hiking trails to enjoy nature as well!

There’s a badge for that

The children’s activities would be a fabulous tie-in with the Daisy 3 Cheers for Animals journey, Brownie Bugs, Junior Gardener and Junior Animal Habitats badges, as well as several retired Girl Scout interest projects for older girls. Cadettes who need a simple entry into woodworking tools before forraying into their Woodworking badge could also build a birdhouse.

The visitors center has phenomenal resources and information for those wanting to learn more specifics about the plants and animals living and visiting the refuge; however we chose to spend our sunny afternoon outdoors instead!

Planning for next year’s event

Wings Over Mustatuck is typically held the first or second weekend in May. The event and admission to the wildlife refuge is free. However, if you’re planning a scout outing for next spring, I would recommend:

• budgeting $5 for a patch from the visitors center (it supports programs at Mustatuck)
• having your scouts pack a lunch or plan for $5-6 for lunch at the event
• wearing shoes appropriate for hiking so you can enjoy the trails!