Fun Friday: Let’s Get Magnifying!

Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. 

The idea: Take an up-close look at nearby nature using a magnifying glass.

Our notes from the field: During our recent adventures in the school garden, I brought along a few of our magnifying glasses hoping I could inspire the 5 year old to take a close-up look around the garden.

Kids don’t always stick to the plan, do they? My son wasn’t nearly as interested in getting down in the dirt as I was. At least not initially.

I coaxed him along as best I could — each of us holding our magnifying glasses right up against a small patch of the garden looking for what, we weren’t quite sure.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Where? What mom? I don’t see anything!!!”

Flustered and completely over my attempt at entertainment, he was just about to drop his magnifying glass and take off.

And that’s when it happened.

He spotted a ladybug on a stick lying in the grass. We’d never have seen it if we hadn’t been looking so close.

Of course, he immediately tried to grab the ladybug, which quickly flew away.

But my son was hooked.

Granted, he dropped the magnifying glass and took off. But where’d he go? To search for more bugs! And there were plenty left to discover. 

Take-home tips: This little adventure was a pleasant (and much-needed) reminder that sometimes a plan gone wrong is just what the doctor ordered. Next time we try this, I’ll:

• Keep it age appropriate. My son later fessed up that the reason he didn’t like using the magnifying glass was because it was hard for him to hold still. A larger magnifying glass might have solved this problem.
• Pick a good spot to look. The more unique the environment, the more likely you’ll find something to peak your child’s interest. Something bright, something moving, something wet, something different from what you normally see in your own backyard works best.  

Have you ever set your child loose in the backyard with a magnifying glass? How did it go? What did you discover? Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear about it!