Destination: Duke Gardens storytime

Spring also is the time when the Gardens ramps up its offerings for families. New this spring is a free, drop-in weekday storytime on the third Thursday morning of each month through June. The next one is April 19. No registration is required.

The hour-long program, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., includes a story, walk through the gardens and activity or craft. It's designed for kids ages 3 to 7.

During the first storytime of the season, a garden volunteer read a book about the life of a log. Kavanah Anderson, Duke Gardens' education coordinator, led us on a walk to find a log and discover the creatures that lived within. Then we sat down for a quick activity, taking rubbings from bark and other items we found on the ground. My two-year-old loved it and told her sister all about the log later that day.

Storytimes also are offered on the first Saturday of the month (April 7 is the next one). They also are from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and are free. No registration is required.

Duke Gardens' other programs include an upcoming spring break camp the week of April 9 (when Durham and other schools in the region are out) and expanded summer camp offerings.

Duke's nature ranger cart, offering free drop-in activities for kids and their adults, returns on Friday mornings in April. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the traveling science carts feature different activities.

And Duke will offer four Spring Family Fun events with free drop-in activities for parent and kids. Each week will focus on science or craft projects. They are noon to 3 p.m., April 15, April 29, May 6 and May 20.

Programs are geared primarily for preschoolers to young grade schoolers, but Anderson said staff can customize programs for any age group.