At the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Maple Sugar Festival, your family can learn how to make maple sugar in your own backyard, visit the sugar bush to see the tapped trees, collect the sap and learn how to boil the sap down. Reward your hard work by sampling the delicious homemade syrup.  All ages. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free. Rockwoods Reservation.

More information: mdc.mo.gov or 636-458-2236.             

Kids are really good at getting themselves into sticky situations. Over Christmas my 3-year-old cousin locked herself in the bathroom. It took six educated adults 15 minutes to get her out. While most of the time I try to avoid predicaments where small children are stuck in tight spaces or coated in glue, sticky situations can sometimes be fun. A perfect example is the Missouri Department of Conservation’s maple sugar events during the next two months.

During the first outing, the maple tree tapping, kids will learn the basics of tree tapping and what equipment to use. Homeschoolers can also get in on the fun with a special maple sugaring class designed just for them. Students will explore the history of maple sugaring, visit the sugar bush to collect sap and learn how to boil it down into syrup. But the best part is sampling Rockwoods’ own maple syrup. Mmmmm. Finally, there's the Maple Sugar Festival in February.