Activities – Page 6 – Kids Discover Nature

Haunted Hikes in Vermont

by Editorial Staff

Connect to Nature this Halloween and maybe the Supernatural too!

If you want to connect to nature this Halloween, and do something spooky at the same time, this is the book for you (but not your little ones).

I have been searching for a topic to cover this Halloween that offers something unique for my readers — something different from the typical “how to use nature to decorate for Halloween” topic. Not that there is anything wrong with that, we enjoy taking Bean and Budder to the pumpkin patch every year, gathering leaves and gourds, creating spider webs and going batty for one of our favorite holidays. However, as true fan of Halloween I really, really enjoy the “supernatural” side of the holiday. Ghosts and goblins intrigue me. I love a good ghost story. Yes, I am a believer…as I’ve had my own experiences with ghosts. In fact, there is one ghost story I tell which is about my first-hand experience with a ghoul that brings tears to my eyes and raises the hair on the back of anyone’s neck who listens.

The thing is, with two children under seven, I can’t go there…yet. We do the basic Halloween stuff, of which ghosts and skeletons are natural part of it. But if there was a real understanding of what those symbols of Halloween really mean, there would be a BIG problem in our house! In other words, they would be sharing the ‘rents bed for the next 10 years. So, in a nutshell, I guess you can say I am ghost deprived.

Haunted Hikes in Vermont: A Book Review

Naturally, I was intrigued when I received the book entitled Haunted Hikes of Vermont to review. It awakened the inner ghost chaser in me. I also thought might offer an interesting way to get older kids involved in nature as it’s not the typical “corny nature activity” and I have had several readers mention they would like to learn more about nature activities for older children. But be warned, some of the haunted hikes covered in the book are not for the feint of heart, and they might even be too scary for high schoolers.

Upon reading the introduction, it was apparent that the author, Tim Simard, did a ton of first-hand research into hikes in Vermont that take you to haunted places. And we aren’t talking graveyards here! We are talking about real hauntings, where people have seen ghosts, heard the sound of a train where no tracks exist and lights flashing in the middle of the woods. It also covers places where there are doors to another dimension, where people have disappeared never to be seen again, and where monsters lurk in lakes. No matter you personally believe, parts of the book are truly creepy. So much so, that even I question whether I want to do any of the hikes, especially at night! In other words, ignorance is bliss and that’s the way I think I prefer it in this case.

The book is well written. Simard divides it into 13 chapters, each covering a different area of the state, beginning in southern Vermont then heading north. Each chapter includes a historical review of the area Haunted Hikes of Vermont including the related ghost stories and legends. If you enjoy a good ghost story, it’s worth reading the book for just that purpose. He also includes descriptions of each trail and directions to it, the level of difficulty, elevation, distance and time it takes to hike it. Additionally, he provides excellent details of each trail, how to access it in winter, and what specifically to look for, like beautiful limestone cliffs, rare and fragile alpine plants, moose, deer and little green men who just disembarked from their UFO.

Throughout the book, I couldn’t determine whether or not Simard believed all the tales he recounted. As he described his experience on there trail, he recounted strange occurrences, but also seemed skeptical of others. In the end I came to the conclusion that no matter what he personally believed, he was certainly more brave than I!

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, and as a New Englander, found the historical background quite interesting. It covers many of the most beautiful, difficult and breathtaking hikes in Vermont and could easily serve as the prefect trail companion in that respect alone. When you add the creepiness factor, those who like being scared, or are just downright interested in the supernatural, unexplained events, UFO’s and the like will appreciate it.

Since we’re on the topic, does anyone know a good ghost story???

Outdoor Activities for Kids

Birthday Parties With A Natural Twist!

by MCC

There are many options and venues available for celebrating children’s birthdays. To celebrate these special milestones parents are always searching for new and fun ideas for gathering friends, singing “Happy Birthday,” and eating birthday cake. Often the choices are indoor venues like the local kiddie gym, a movie, or bowling. It’s easy to end up debating ideas for weeks. There’s mini golf, a party at a toy store, a dance class for friends and more.

Rather than those option, you might consider doing something outside. Check out where there are local nature centers, zoos, and farms that welcome birthday parties. Local Audubon Nature Centers offers programs for children throughout the spring. You might be surprised by your child’s enthusiasm if you offer the opportunity to take friends to the nature center to look for frogs, salamanders and bugs in a vernal pool. Your child many jump at the chance to be outside getting dirty and touching bugs and slimy things for her birthday. Being outside exploring gives childen a great deal of pleasure.

You may even find that the parents of your child’s friends will join right in and dig through the leaves and catch critters in their own nets right along with them. This is certainly more fun than standing around watching kids run around.

Here are photos of some of the neat critters that can be found while investigating venral pools (credit: the Vernal Pool Association):

Wood frog

Isopod

Finger clam

Don’t be surprised when the party come to and end if your chil gives you a big hug and tells you that it was one of the best parties they have ever had. When I did this for my daughter she said ‘Mommy, I love you so much! Thanks for planning the best party ever for me.” It’s a really great feeling when that happens.

When planning you child’s birthday party, I encourage you to consider alternatives to the norm. Research your local area to find opportunites for outdoor celebrating. You might be surprised by what you find. Not only will it be fun, but it will be memorable for everyone and a great learning experience for the kids.

Nature Activities for Kids

Trees on the Trail

by MCC

One thing you see a lot of while hiking is fallen trees. These provide a great opportunity for learning about nature. The next time you stumble across one while walking or hiking, take some time to investigate it with your child.

Look for signs of the decaying wood being eaten. The holes and tunnels you see are made by many different creatures including sow bugs, carpenter ants, beetles, milipedes and many more. Fallen trees are food for these creatures and are and important part of the food web know as the Detritus Cycle.

Many animals use them for hiding places to avoid predators and for shelter from harsh weather. Just a few of these animals are rabbits, turtles, raccoons, wood turtles, box turtles, shrews, voles, salamanders and even ladybugs.

Decaying logs also provide food for other creatures, most notably, woodpeckers. They eat the insects that are eating the wood. Other animals you may see on logs looking for food are spiders, beetles, nuthatches, warblers, turtles, chipmunks and mice.

Fallen trees make great places for animals to have and raise young. Many different insects such as as spiders, beetles, caterpillars and bees use them for this purpose.

When you think about it, one fallen log in a forest plays a very important and vital role for so many different animals. It is part of a community. You can discuss this with your child and help him/her understand the relationships between living creatures. Compare it to our dependence on other creatures for food, shelter, etc. and how humans depend on things in our community.

Nature Crafts

Spring Flower Power!

by Jodi Valenta

Spending a lot of time exploring outdoors is a top priority in our family. There is most definitely a correlation between how much time we spend outdoors and the behavior of my kids: more = better! Since spring has arrived, we have been outside every day smelling (and picking) dandelions, violets, daffodils, and all the wonderful flowers that are blooming. It has been so great to run around and stretch our legs. We have also spent loads of time just observing all that is sprouting and blooming going on around us.

Here’s a great activity for your little sprouts (as excerpted from the “First Nature Activity Book):
Pressing flowers is a simple and magical way of preserving beautiful flowers and leaves so they last forever. Flowers with flat faces are best such as pansies, primroses, and daisies. Pick flowers that are dry and press them right away so they maintain their color.

Equipment:
Scissors
Heavy books
White paper for blotting

1. Open the book. Cut out a piece of blotting paper about the same size as the open book you will use. Fold the paper in half then open it out.
2. Lay the blotting paper across the book. Arrange the flowers flat on the right half of the paper, leaving space between them.
3. Carefully fold the left side of the blotting paper over the flowers. Then close the book over the blotting paper.
4. Put some heavy books on top of the book to weigh it down. Leave the plants to dry for at least four weeks.

After four weeks, they can be glued into a nature diary, onto a card for Mom (an especially nice idea!), or a picture to hang in your child’s room. The nice thing is that you will have the flowers to enjoy long after they have finished blooming outside.

Nature Activities for Kids

Top 10 Earth Day Activities for Children

by Jodi Valenta

Happy Earth Day!
In our house, Earth Day is big! I was a child of the ’70s when the first one started, and my parents always made a point of teaching me that I needed to help care for the earth. As a result, I am environmentally conscious and I strive to teach my family how to be earth-friendly. Each Earth Day, we pay special homage to our Mother Earth by doing an earth-friendly activity. We have done many over the years, so I thought it would be helpful if I passed them on to you.

Top 10 Earth Day activities for children:

1) Plant a tree.
2) Go far a walk. Take a reusable bag with you and pick up garbage you see along the way.
3) Take your bottles, cans cardboard, etc. to the recycling center. Allow your children to keep the money you receive from returning any deposits.
4) Spend some time at your local nature center learning about native critters, plants, and trees. Better yet, volunteer to help plant a flower bed, clean up trash, or fill bird feeders.
5) Plant a vegetable garden. There are few things more earth-friendly than growing your own food, especially if you go organic!
6) Organize a play date in the outdoors. Work together to clean up an area of a local park.
7) Go to a natural food store and buy items to make an organic lunch, then go on a picnic.
8) Ask your kids to help you start composting. They can help dig up worms to add and add kitchen scraps each day.
9) Go for a bike ride instead of a drive in the car.
10) Pledge to spend more time outdoors with your kids!

Have a great day! And read The Lorax by Dr. Seuss to your kids tonight. 🙂

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