Gear up for Take a Child Outside Week, which runs from Sept. 24 to Sept. 30, at an event at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ Prairie
Ridge Ecostation, 4301 Reedy Creek Rd., Raleigh. The event kicks off the week, created by the museum and now celebrated across the country, with a guided walk through its piedmont prairie, pond critter dipping and a visit to the lowland arboretum. Hands-on activities are offered at its “green” outdoor classroom. It’s free and all ages are welcome. Walks begin every 30 minutes, with the last walk starting at 6 p.m.