A dozen young children and their adults walk in Martha Songbird park at Fort Sill, Okla., looking for items on their scavenger hunt list. The Army families were participating in Eco-Kids!, a program for children ages 2-6 to make friends and learn mor...

FORT SILL, Okla., May 25, 2017 -- "Does anyone see dirt?" asks Lorraine Reimer of a dozen little kids sitting on a blanket in the grass at Fort Sill's Co-Op Park.

"Yeah" some of them answer, as if it weren't a ridiculous question.

"Where is it?" Reimer asks, eyes wide with anticipation.

They point to the ground. They point to trees when she asks them if they see leaves. And they point to the grass when she asks if they see flowers. Pretty good for 2-and-3-year-olds.

These are items on the coloring sheets for the little nature explorers in the Eco-Kids! Discovery Mornings program, and they hope to find all of them during their walk on the Martha Songbird Nature Trail.

Reimer, whose degree is in parks and recreation management, is Fort Sill's new outdoor recreation manager for Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

"The reason for Eco-Kids! is I wanted to get families out socializing, networking with other parents, children networking with other kids. We want to introduce kids to nature and hit different topics like bird watching, the leave no trace focus, greenhouses. We planted some seeds last week."

This is the second in a series of nature walks and crafts geared to children ages 2 to 6 to explore Fort Sill's outdoors. Reimer said that two of the children are already friends from the previous outing. "One of the children ran up to the other kid and gave him a hug like they knew each other. That's what this whole thing is for, to develop relationships. I know being a spouse of a service member can be lonely, and friendships are a real key to being successful in this life."

While sitting on the blanket in the adjacent Co-Op Park, she asks the children if they see a bird. They find a Mississippi kite perched conveniently on a dead tree. How about ants? Jace Coburn, 3, picks one up and excitedly brings it to her. "Good job!" she tells him. "You have good eyesight!"

They never did find a squirrel. But it didn't matter. Their eyes sparkled, and their attention was riveted on every little thing they found -- seedlings, trees, a tiny mushroom on a twig. Reimer's enthusiasm was infectious, and the parents and grandparents accompanying the children were immersed in helping their little ones explore nature's treasures.

Three folks from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge helped the toddlers find treasures such as the cowboy rose, also known as the winecup or purple poppy-mallow, a vivid magenta flower in the mallow family. Even the lowly dandelion was an object of wonder to some of the children.

Randy Hale, environmental education specialist at the refuge, found an insect gall on a small pecan tree and the children gathered around as he pierced it open to show them the little wasp larvae inside. They were cautioned to stay on the gravel path because of poison ivy. Earlier, the adults had picked up trash along the path of the park named for the last passenger pigeon in the world, Martha, who died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.

The walk was just the right length for the toddlers and their mothers, some of whom had infants with them. When they returned to their blankets, they made bird feeders by stringing Cheerios on a pipe cleaner. Some of the Cheerios made it into little mouths instead.

Reimer came from Camp LeJeune, N. C. and is responsible for inspecting Co-Op, Quinette, Ambrosia Springs, and Rucker parks to be sure there are no safety issues and to keep it clear of garbage. She also wants to get military families outdoors more.

Reimer has big plans toward that goal. Although nothing is finalized, she hopes to begin an archery program and a family camp-out in the fall, and teach kayaking next spring.

One thing's for sure. The wonder of a child discovering an industrious ant or a pretty flower is something that can carry over into adulthood. Reimer knows the love of nature starts young. She wants to keep their parents young at heart, too, and the Eco-Kids! Program is one way to do it.

The next outing is May 30 at Quinette Park. To register for the free program call the Outdoor Adventure Center, 580-442-3575.