Family Days at Tartu Nature House
Tartu Nature House has been hosting family days and family mornings since 2013. We welcome families with children and all other nature enthusiasts to come discover, explore, and create together. Each family day has its own theme—ranging from animals and plants to the seasons, natural phenomena, and eco-friendly choices.
Next Family Day
Let’s Get Creative! St. Catherine’s Day at the Nature House
St. Catherine’s Day Family Day at the Tartu Nature House
November 21, 2026 · 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. · free
We’ll make St. Catherine’s Day masks and gift bags, learn about the customs and traditions of St. Catherine’s Day, and play games with the Kambja folk group Tähelinnud. The animal room and winter garden will also be open.
Program for the day:
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Kadri mask workshop
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Kadri gift bag workshop
12:00 p.m.–12:45 p.m. Folk game “Let the Kadri guests in!”
Past Family Days
Select a year to view past Family Days. The links will take you to descriptions of the events.
2026
- Fall Brings Us Together: Children and Grandparents Day (Oct. 17)
- Mushroom Hunter and Boletus. A Great Mushroom Adventure! (September 19)
- Dandelion Day (May 16)
- Spring (Outdoors!) (April 18)
- LiLiLa (March 21)
- Splash and Splatter! Stories of the Flatfish (Feb. 21)
- Jaanus the Hedgehog Invites You Over! (Jan. 17)
2025
- Forest Carnival (Nov. 15).
- Coffee, a Banana, and the Journey of Your Shirt (Oct. 18).
- The Magical World of Mushrooms (September 20).
- Enchanted by Plants (May 17)
- Spot a Pollinator (April 19)
- Every Seed Counts—Seeds to the Soil! (March 15)
- Animal Friends Day (February 15)
- Our Feathered Friends (Jan. 18)
2024
- A Little Bit of Biodiversity (Aug. 17)
- Wow, what plants! (May 18)
- Our Little Invertebrate Friends (April 20)
- Let’s Take a Peek into the Desert! (March 16)
- Pet Friendship Day (February 17)
- Look, the birds are here for the winter! (January 20)
2023
- Look at those tracks (Dec. 16)
- Look, how it hides itself (Nov. 18)
- Look, it’s swimming! (October 21)
- Look, it’s flying! (September 16)
- The Allure of Plants (May 20)
- Nature in the City? The City in Nature (April 22)
- Hello, Spring (March 18, 2023)
- Estonian Nature Lover’s Day (February 18, 2023)
- A Peek into the Tropics (January 21, 2023)
2022
- Christmas for the Soft and Furry Ones (Dec. 17, 2022)
- The Life of Wild Animals (November 19, 2022)
- Leaves as Food (October 15, 2022)
- A Swarm of Beetles (September 17, 2022)
- Life in and on the Sea (August 20, 2022)
- Insect Day (June 18, 2022)
- The Magic of Plants (May 21, 2022)
- Eggs and Chicks (April 16, 2022)
- A Welcome to Spring (March 19, 2022)
- Animal Friends Day (February 19, 2022)
- Winter Animal Day (January 22, 2022)
2021
2020
- Snowball Games and Snow Lab (January 18, 2020)
- Friendship Day (February 15, 2020)
- Spring Welcome Day (March 21, 2020) – canceled
- Egg and Bird Day (April 11, 2020) – canceled
- Worm Day (April 25, 2020) – canceled
- Water and Flower Day (May 30, 2020) – canceled
- The Colorful World of Insects (August 15, 2020)
- Autumn Harvests in the Barn and on Paper (September 5, 2020)
- Feathered Friends on the Farm and in the City (October 3, 2020)
- A Journey Through the Plant World (November 13, 2020)
2019
- Family Morning with Vitamin Candy (January 20, 2019)
- Seed Paper Family Morning (February 17, 2019)
- “Trash Can Be Useful!” Family Morning (March 17, 2019)
- Easter Family Morning (April 21, 2019)
- Karlova Family Day Nature Observation Family Morning (May 19, 2019)
2018
- Friendship Day: Homemade Gifts (February 11, 2018)
- Easter: Egg Dyeing and Decorations (March 30, 2018)
- Mother’s Day: Herbs for Mother’s Day (May 13, 2018)
2017
- Fathers’ and Grandfathers’ Day (November 12, 2017)
- Let’s Make Our Own Christmas Gifts! (December 16, 2017)
2016
- September 10, 2016 Chicken Morning
- March 25, 2016 Rabbit Morning
- February 20, 2016 Rodent Morning
- January 23, 2016 Rhinoceros Morning
2015
- November 7, 2015 Insect and Spider Morning
- October 10, 2015 Sea Pig Morning
- September 26, 2015 Sheep Morning
- September 5, 2015 Pony Morning (repeat)
- May 16, 2015 Pony Morning
- April 3, 2015 Chick Morning
2014
- June 5, 2014 Park Picnic
- April 5, 2014 Adventure Game in the Nature House Park
- March 8, 2014 Rocks and Insects
- February 1, 2014 Sea Creatures Morning
- January 18, 2014 Dough Morning
2013
- December 14, 2013 Pre-Christmas outing
- November 9, 2013 Children’s Morning for Father’s Day
- September 28, 2013 Nature Morning for Toddlers: “Let’s Go Cut Rye”
- September 19, 2013 Bear Morning
- May 18, 2013 Plant Morning
- May 4, 2013 Spring Days Special: Active Morning
- March 30, 2013 Spring Holiday Morning
- March 2, 2013: Turtle Morning
- February 2, 2013: Rabbit Morning
Sponsors
Over the years, the City of Tartu and the Environmental Investment Center have supported the organization of Family Days and Family Mornings.
