Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. The idea Shake up our usual neighborhood walk with a nature scavenger hunt. Thanks to Michele of Fun Orange County Parks for pointing me in the direction of this free, downloadable checklist of items. (You can find it and others like it at Hearts and Trees.) I’m a big fan of this … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
Fun Friday: Nighttime Neighborhood Walks
Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. The idea: Head out the front door for a nighttime walk around the neighborhood.With my oldest in all-day kindergarten (and an afterschool program to boot), we don’t get much time to play outside during the week. Taking a walk after dinner is one of the easiest ways for our family to get … [Read more...]
Fun Friday: Peanut Hunt
Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. Why wait until Easter to go on an outdoor treasure hunt? Last summer, my friend Brian introduced a peanut hunt to our then 3-1/2 year old kids while on a visit to our cabin in Yosemite.He spent about five minutes hiding the shelled peanuts everywhere you might imagine – in tree bark, … [Read more...]
Outdoor Counting Fun
Part of my kindergartner’s homework last night was to go on a nature hunt. Honestly! How cool is that? Our mission: To collect items in groups of 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. (I didn’t like math growing up. But if I’d had assignments like this, things might have been different.)The weather outside was frightful: so windy my son said he was afraid he’d be blown over. We decided to brave … [Read more...]