Tod Pod Alumni

Starting kindergarten and looking to stay connected with Tod Pod?

Our Tod Pod Alumni Group is for you! Our alumni group plans activities for kids age 5-8 years old who have a relationship with Tod Pod with the goal of nurturing the bonds families have forged in Tod Pod through the transition to kindergarten and beyond. The Tod Pod Alumni Group is completely optional.

Alumni Activities

For summer 2024, Tod Pod Alumni is meeting up for Free Family Fun Days on weekends at Richardson Nature Center. No reservations are needed; families can drop in anytime during the 2-hour window, however Tod Pod alumni plans to gather and start each program together at 1:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 23
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Free Family Fun Day: Forest Free Play
Learn about critters living under your feet as we search under logs and leaves and in the soil. Make forts and play with mud. 

Sunday, June 30
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Free Family Fun Day: Minnesota Raptors
What makes a bird a raptor? Learn about the unique adaptations that make raptors successful predators. Meet the live raptors who live at Richardson Nature Center. This program is entirely outdoors.

Sunday, July 14
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Free Family Fun Day: Turtle Obstacle Course
Join a naturalist and meet our resident turtle ambassador. Make an obstacle course for the turtle. Use a variety of objects to see if the turtle will go under, over or through the objects. Use a scavenger hunt sheet to search the park on your own for places turtles call home.

Sunday, July 28
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Free Family Fun Day: Pond Exploration
Meet a naturalist on the dock and use nets to discover some of the amazing animals that live in the pond. Equipment will be provided. This program is entirely outdoors.

Stay tuned to the email list for more info!

Sign Up for the Alumni Email List

Families can opt to join the alumni email list when their child enters school. (Families with children still in the birth-age 5 range can stay on the regular Tod Pod email list). Families can unsubscribe from the Alumni group at any time.

Alumni FAQ

Does Tod Pod really end when my kid is 5?
It depends on your child! Tod Pod is intended for kids age birth through five years old (which includes the entire year they are five). If a child is older than five and still has a developmental need for the types of activities and connection Tod Pod offers, Tod Pod is still available to that child/family...we will always prioritize meeting a child/family's needs rather than a precise age cut-off...but most children will "age out" of Tod Pod during their fifth year or once they start kindergarten (whichever comes first).

How often does the alumni group meet?
The goal is quarterly, but it all depends on our parent volunteers put together. Unlike "regular" Tod Pod, Tod Pod Alumni activities are planned and coordinated by alumni parent volunteers.

How much do alumni events cost?
It depends. Some are free and others have a fee, like bowling or miniature golf.

How are alumni events communicated?
Tod Pod communicates alumni events via a separate email list for the alumni group.

Can younger siblings come to alumni events?
It depends on the event. Each event will outline who is welcome to attend.

I just joined Tod Pod with my toddler. Can my 7-year-old do alumni activities?
Sorry, but no. Tod Pod Alumni is intended for 5-8 year olds who already have a relationship with Tod Pod and are looking to stay connected after they have started kindergarten. Your 7-year-old is welcome to attend "regular" Tod Pod activities alongside their toddler sibling.