Children invited to Storybook Adventures

Would you like to introduce your preschooler to archaeology, desert wildlife, and Native American cultures? Come join us for Ollie's Storybook Adventures!

The Deer Valley Rock Art Center will offer story times for preschoolers on six Fridays from 10 to 11 a.m., Feb. 4 through April 29.

Storybook is an educational program that offers fun and interactive ways for children to learn about Native American cultures as well as the plants, animals, and archaeology of the American southwest. Each adventure includes a story, art activity, music, and outdoor games.

The schedule is as follows:

Feb. 4: The theme is “Pack Rats.” Conrad Storad will read his book “Desert Night Shift – a Pack Rat Story.”

Feb. 25: The theme is “Animal Tracks,” and the book is “Way Out in the Desert,” by TJ Marsh.

March 11: The theme is “Native American Pottery,” and the book is “The Potsherd Speaks (An Oral Story).”

April 1: Theme is “Looney Lizards,” and the book is “Lizards for Lunch” by Conrad Storad.

April 15: Theme is “Following Bird Tracks,” and the book is “The Owl and the Woodpecker” by Brian Wildsmith.

April 29: Surprise Theme.

Ollie's Storybook Adventures is for children age 3 to 6 and their parents. Each session is limited to 12 children. Reservations are required. Call (623) 582-8007 to sign up. Admission is $2.50 per child; older siblings are $2; members and accompanying adults are free; and additional adults are $2.

The Deer Valley Rock Art Center has the largest concentration of Native American petroglyphs in the Phoenix Valley. Visitors hike a 1/4-mile trail to view more than 1,500 petroglyphs made between 500 and 7,000 years ago. The museum aims to promote preservation, connection and respect for the site and is a destination for families to learn about archaeology in their own backyard. The Center is managed by one of the top archaeology programs in the country at Arizona State University and is a Phoenix Point of Pride.

Deer Valley Rock Art Center is located at 3711 W. Deer Valley Road, two blocks west of 35th Avenue. For more information call (623) 582-8007.