Every April, a special light seems to shine on all things planet Earth. That's because April features Earth Day (April 22) – a day dedicated around the world to environmental activities and celebrations. Of course, I’m a firm believer that Earth Day isn’t just one day. Or even one month. Caring for the planet is something we need to be doing every. single. day. How? The … [Read more...]
Saturday Snapshot: Roadrunner
Welcome to “Saturday Snapshot,” a new feature which highlights photos we take as part of our seasonal nature photo scavenger hunts.In case you missed it, the 2013 Spring nature photo scavenger hunt has begun. If you’d like to play along, we’d love to have you! Look for our complete collection of #springnaturehunt photos on Instagram and Pinterest.The Find: BirdThe Story: We … [Read more...]
The Living Desert
During our recent spring break getaway, we managed a stop in the desert – Palm Desert, that is. After a day spent at Joshua Tree National Park (more on that later), we wanted to get up close and personal with desert wildlife. So we carved out some time to visit The Living Desert. The Living Desert promises “a wildlife adventure through the deserts of the world.” To this end, … [Read more...]
9 Ideas for Nature-Based Learning at the Zoo
When The Explorers were younger (read: sitting in a stroller), our visits to the zoo tended to focus primarily on identifying and naming critters. These days, we do a whole lot more than that. In spite of the fact that I’m not formally trained as a classroom educator, I’ve figured out a few ways to turn our visits into fun learning opportunities that extend well beyond our … [Read more...]
Getting to Know Critters: First Animal Encyclopedia
At 4.5 years old, The Little Explorer is a big fan of animals. As you might imagine, I’m doing everything I can to support, encourage and further that interest. First up: Finding him a good book about animals. Enter DK Publishing. At 2, he loved My First Animal Board Book, so I figured the school-age version, First Animal Encyclopedia, wouldn’t disappoint. The book: First … [Read more...]