The Potomac Valley Audubon Society will hold its fifth annual Spring Children’s Egg Hunt the afternoon of Sunday, Apr. 1 at its Yankauer Nature Preserve north of Shepherdstown. Unlike traditional egg hunts, this one combines fun with an educational experience.

The eggs used in the hunt are colored to resemble real eggs of wild birds. Children are challenged to find the naturally camouflaged eggs on the trail and, in the process, they discover how birds keep their eggs safe from predators. Other activities this year will include a “penguin egg walk” and an “ostrich egg balance challenge,” as well as an egg-toss game.

This year’s event will be for children ages 3-6. Eggs for them to collect will be hidden along trails at the preserve. At the end of the event, collected eggs will be “traded in” for a sweet treat: decorating an egg shaped cookie to enjoy on the spot or take home and enjoy later along with lemonade.

This will be a family-oriented event and parents should plan to go with their children as they walk on the trail. The hunt will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. Space will be limited and pre-registration is required. The fee is $5 per child.

Registration is available at the Society’s website at www.potomacaudubon.org; look for the Spring Egg Hunt link. For more information, contact Ellen Murphy, PVAS’s Director of Youth Programs, at 304-676-8739 or pvasprograms@gmail.com. The Yankauer Nature Preserve is located on Whiting’s Neck Road off Scrabble Road, about six miles north of Shepherdstown. Directions are on the Society’s website.

The Potomac Valley Audubon Society is a nonprofit organization and a member of the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and the Combined Federal Campaign.