Prescott Valley — As part of Earth Week 2025 programming at the Discovery Garden, children participated in a storytime focused on pollinators, planted seeds in mini terracotta pots to start mini pollinator gardens, and helped release painted lady butterflies raised by staff.

Program leaders said they selected child-friendly books about bees and butterflies and used dances, songs and simple crafts to teach younger children about the life cycle from larva to butterfly. Children planted seeds in terracotta pots using a “pollinator mix” provided by organizers and took the pots home to grow their own pollinator-friendly plants. Staff reported they had raised about 20 painted lady caterpillars to chrysalis stage over three to four weeks and released the adult butterflies on the day’s event so children could observe them up close.

Organizers said the hands-on activities are intended to create a personal connection between children and pollinators and to encourage conservation practices such as planting pollinator gardens. They noted the program supports local ecosystem awareness by teaching why pollinators matter for flowers like prickly pear and other plantings found around town. The release and planting activities were framed as part of broader Earth Week education rather than a policy or regulatory action.