Walks – Kids Discover Nature

Rain, rain go away….

by MCC

Let’s go out and play anyway!

It has been raining a lot this fall. There was a week of beautiful weather, which allowed a lot of outside play time, but now it’s raining again. It’s easy to enjoying every moment of time spent in nature when the weather is nice, but when it’s drizzly it is definitely a challenge. Sometimes you just have to put on your rain hats, boots and raincoats and head out. One you do, you may not take long for before your kids discover that a pile of dirt makes a great slide. Up and down they’ll on their bottoms and their bellies. Try not to stop them because you worry that they will ruin their clothes and watch the fun ensue. That’s what play clothes are for anyway!

Another great rainy day activity is puddle jumping. Make some fun with the puddles collecting in the yard and around the neigborhood. Your kids will have a blast getting soaked up to their chests while jumping into them. You may not have thought much about this, but puddles offer a terrific learning experience for children. You can discuss with them how puddles are formed from rain, what happens when you splash in them and what happens to them after it stops raining. You can also find things to toss into puddles and things to float on top. Try finding natural objects around your yard such as stones, leaves, grass, pinecones and flowers. Discuss what happens to each one when you throw them in the puddle. Sort them into piles and ask your children guess what will happen to each item – some float and some sink. You can have a great time testing the various objects over and over again. You will be amazed by how something so simple can keep kids mesmerized.

Before long, an hour or more may pass before you realize you are all soaked and muddy. You’ll burst inside laughing about how wet you are and then enjoy changin into our dry, cozy clothes.

Your son or daughter may not remember this time you spent together, but you may never forget it. That’s the thing about spending time in nature. The memories you create while being out there last a lifetime.

Birds

Quick & Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids

by Jodi Valenta

A few weeks ago I surveyed readers to determine their favorite outdoor activities to do with their children. The results showed that you overwhelmingly like camping and hiking. Frankly, I was surprised because these activities require a lot a preparation and planning. However, I totally get it because the rewards are great as both activities afford children an excellent opportunity to explore nature and spend valuable time with their families. Plus, summer is the perfect season for camping vacations and weekend hikes!

Now, with summer quickly winding down and children heading back to school, there will be less time to enjoy these activities and it will be harder to make time to enjoy the outdoors. All the demands of the school year have returned, with homework, after-school activities, less time off and, well, you know the drill. It makes the challenge of getting outside more difficult. However, with all those demands comes stress, so it’s even more important that kids (and you!) spend time in nature.

I thought it would be helpful if I provided a list of some outdoor activities for your children that don’t take much time or effort. They can be done even if you have only 30 minutes to spare one morning, afternoon or evening. Print it out and keep it on the fridge for quick reference for those days you need a quick idea.

1) Go for a walk around the neighborhood.
2) Explore your backyard with a magnifying glass.
3) Before bedtime, do a little stargazing on the front step.
4) Do some birding.
5) Pull weeds in the garden and look for bugs.
6) Look for interesting rocks and stones.
7) Play backyard games like tag or hide-and-seek.
8) Eat an afternoon snack outside on a blanket in the grass.
9) Try to catch butterflies with a butterfly net.
10) Spread a blanket out on the grass, lie down and look up at the clouds.

Not only are all of these activities fun, but they also promote relaxation, creativity and several include a splash of exercise!

Please comment on this post and add your own ideas. The school year is long, vacations are short, and we can all use some time to connect with nature, even if it’s only for a few minutes a day!

Birds

Five Outdoor Activities to Cure Spring Fever ~ Even…

by Jodi Valenta

Oh my! It was 19 degrees outside this morning. By the calendar, Spring arrived four days ago, but by the thermometer it certainly doesn’t feel that way outside! If you are desperate to get some quality outside time that does not require big effort, following is a list of easy activities designed get you and your families outside, even for just a few minutes.

Look for signs of spring. We walked around the yard over the weekend looking for spring bulbs. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any, because we have to much SNOW on the ground. Maybe you will be luckier than we were.
Listen for and watch the birds. The birds are fully into their springtime activities. Watching them and listening to their chirps is enough to convince the toughest skeptics that spring really is here. Hearing them sing and watching them flit around on the branches really raised our spirits. You might even catch a few migrants passing through on their way back to their breeding grounds.
Find a sunny spot and lie down. The sun will feel so good on your face! Just 10 minutes and you will believe the temps are in the 50’s.
Go for a walk. Back to basics on this one. The warm afternoon sun will warm you up fast, even if the temps are hovering in the 20’s or 30’s.
Watch the sunrise or sunset. Along with the longer days and the time of year comes the opportunity to enjoy the the beautiful colors of the sunrises and sunset and some amazing cloud formations.

Please share your ideas. Any inspiration is appreciated!

With and luck, Old Man Winter will officially bid his “adieu,” and we can all breathe a sign of relief.

Outdoor Activities for Kids

Include the Outdoors in Thanksgiving Traditions

by Jodi Valenta

So the BIG day is just around the corner! In three days we will be gathering around the table to enjoy a delicious turkey dinner with family and friends. My little ones are getting excited about the upcoming holiday. We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner and our family members will be starting to arrive on Wednesday. The preparations for the feast started on Saturday with silver polishing, meal planning, grocery list making and centerpiece creating. Now the hustle and bustle begins with grocery shopping, cooking, ironing, setting, baking and everything else I am forgetting to add to the list.

It always takes so much effort to prepare a feast that lasts for an hour (15 minutes for the kids). But it’s about more than just the eating — it’s about family, creating memories, relaxing and enjoying a delicious meal that was lovingly and thoughtfully prepared and being thankful for all that you have and have been given. I have been hosting Thanksgiving for many years and with each year my meal and timing improve (I think), though I am still having trouble with the timing the making of the gravy. Thank goodness my Mom is always there to save it from being a total flop.

If Thanksgiving is a tradition in your family, you can include the outdoors. One of our favorite activities is to go for an stroll after Thanksgiving dinner. It’s usually dark, but but we arm ourselves with flashlights and go anyway. There is something about taking a walk in the brisk air that keeps you from feeling like a big lug after the meal. On clear nights you can look to skies to enjoy the sight of the moon and stars. In the arc of the light from the flash lights, you can see leaves blowing across the road and sometimes a raccoon or fox scurrying into the woods.

Some families play football or go to watch a football game, some go hunting and others go for a hike or run in a turkey trot. How does your family include the outdoors in your Thanksgiving tradition? Instead of passing out on the couch, why not get everyone together do something outside this year? It is a great way to spend time with family, doing something healthy, and connect with nature. Why not create a new family tradition?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Enjoy!

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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