May 4, 2009 by admin · 1 Comment
Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade retailer that carries handmade jewelry, home decor, gifts and much more. They work with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Fair trade enables artisans to earn a fair wage and provides the opportunity for a better quality of life. The girls and I recently visited their local store and had a fantastic time. They have locations all over the country, Canada and a wonderful selection online.
Everything is high quality and unbelievably beautiful. We stayed in the shop for hours in awe; you could tell everything was made with such talent and love.
For most of the items you purchase you will receive information on who made it and where it was made, which makes the gift even more special. My mother in-law bought these beautiful handmade Lotus Teacups and Saucers that were made by the Vietnamese artisan group Craft Link. I really enjoyed teaching the girls about the wonderful products and the story behind them. What a great cause to support!
April 10, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Spring is coming! It has peeked out a few times here in Utah, but I know it’s coming to stay very soon. This morning we were busy trying on last year’s spring clothes to see what still fit, what we could pass down and what we might need to retire for good. We already did our spring cleaning a couple weeks ago. (Okay, to be honest the house cleaner did it…and did it WONDERFULLY!)
When Spring comes around I find myself re-thinking our weekly menus, opting for fresher, simpler, lighter dinner ideas. I also move certain books from the top bookshelves to the lower ones for us to read more regularly. The books I move down are always about flowers, the beach, sunshine, nature and playing outdoors. Do you find yourself doing that too?
My favorite book to celebrate Spring is Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert. It follows a mother and child planting bulbs in fall, ordering seeds from catalogs in winter, eagerly anticipating the first shoots of spring, selecting seedlings in summer and then they “watch the rainbow grow!” The illustrations are beautiful and bound to get you excited for spring.
What are you looking forward to this Spring?
April 5, 2009 by admin · 4 Comments
Nature Scavenger Hunt
The kids I nannied LOVED when I planned this for them. They were all so different in their likes and dislikes but they ALL enjoyed this. You can make it as elaborate or as simple as you would like.Depending on the age of the children, how long you would like to spend outside, and how long you have to prepare is what should determine how you should plan out the hunt.Think of things you would like them to see (and take a picture of or draw a picture of in their own notebooks)
- Pinecones, dandelions, seeds.
- Insects, such as a butterfly, dragonfly, grasshopper, and beetle.
- A spider web.
- Leaves from an oak or maple tree.
- Frogs, toads, and lizards.
- Wildflowers.
- Mushrooms.
- Wild berries (do not eat them unless they’ve been identified as non-poisonous!)
- If you’re by the ocean, look for seashells and seaweed.
Think of things you would like for them to collect (you can add in nets, bug collector, cups, notebook to pate them in)
- Find feathers or abandoned birds’ nests. (Put them in plastic bags and have some hand sanitizer ready to wash off the germs after you touch them!)
- Encourage identification skills by having the kids find different types of leaves or flowers native to your area. (Look for regional field guides in your local library or on enature.com, or do an internet search for the “native plants” of your state.)
- Collect ferns, moss, pinecones, seeds, thorns, and other botanical specimens.
- Catch butterflies, find a cocoon or chrysalis, capture a ladybug, dragonfly, or other insects.
- Look for fossils, colored rocks, quartz, or flat skipping stones.
- Find a “pet,” such as a frog, snail, or grasshopper.
- Look carefully for something “camouflaged,” such as a walking stick insect or a moth that blends in with its surroundings.
- If you live on the coast, include things like seashells, seaweed, small crustaceans, and small pieces of driftwood.
Add in things that you would like them to DO? Go wading, swim in a lake, climb a tree, go on a picnic. ? Draw a flower, make a dandelion chain, make a leaf rubbing. ? Get up early to watch the sun rise, write a description of a sunset. ? Go hiking, build a shelter, find your way with a compass. ? Look at pond water under a microscope, go stargazing with binoculars or a telescope. ? Record a birdsong or other animal sounds. ? Find a chrysalis and watch a butterfly emerge from it. ? Go to the zoo and have each child find a fact about their favorite animal. ? Keep a nature journal for writing descriptions of activities and drawing pictures And if they are old enough for a camera, here awesome ideas for things they can take pictures of? Birds at a bird bath, birdfeeder, or bird house. ? Squirrels or other small animals. ? Animal tracks (if you have time, you can also make a plaster cast). ? Sunset or sunrise. ? Waterfall, mountain, boulder, lake, beach, or swamp (with someone in the picture!) ? A sibling or friend doing one of the activities listed under “things to do.” ? Unusual sights like a tree root curled around a rock. ? The discovery (plant, animal, landscape) that amazed you the most. A list of possible tools
- Plastic bags - bring home specimens without making a mess.
- Camera - take pictures of what can’t be collected with a digital or disposable camera.
- Notebook and pens or colored pencils - make notes and drawings so you can remember what you see.
- Jars - transport insects and other small critters, or use to display rocks and shells
- Snack - hunting can work up an appetite!
- Sunscreen and bug repellent - don’t get burned and bitten.
- Baby wipes or hand sanitizer - clean up when you get grimy.
- Insect net - catch butterflies and other flying insects.
- Binoculars - observe birds and squirrels up close.
- Magnifying glass - see the intricate details on insects, flowers, leaves, and more.
- Plant press - preserve flowers and leaves to mount in a notebook or use for cards or crafts.
- Field guides - get help identifying trees, flowers, rocks, birds, etc.
- Backpack - carry all your exploration tools conveniently.
Some of these ideas have come from www.hometrainingtools.comFor some scavenger hunts there would be a clue at each spot, they would have to complete the task and then it would tell them the next place to go. For other scavenger hunts I would write out a map for them to follow. And for others the instructions would be written on the front page of the notebook.
April 5, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Next time you go to visit the beach take a little time to explore some tide pools nearby, they are beautiful and full of living creatures for your children to explore.
Tide pools are rocky areas on the edge of an ocean that are filled with sea water. Many plants and creatures live there. For example, you might see starfish, anemones, urchins, barnacles, crabs, kelp and other sea plants in a tide pool.
We recently went on a trip to the tide pools in Santa Cruz, CA where my daughter’s Grandma and cousins explored with baggies to collect different things they found.
If you can’t make it to the beach, check out a book and learn about the creatures that live in tide pools!
April 5, 2009 by admin · 2 Comments
The signs of Spring are slowly beginning to show themselves where I live and we are ecstatic! Enjoying the outdoors and investigating the signs of spring is the perfect “unstructured nature play” activity to do as a family.
Celebrating Spring as a family will bring joy into your home, help develop your children’s observational skills, foster your children’s love for learning and appreciating nature. Let go as the parent and be joyous with your children outside!
The following is a list of questions to use to help get your children into noticing Spring:
- What does the rain/wind smell, taste and sound like?
- How do the clouds look differently than they did in the wintertime?
- Do you notice any new baby critters that were not outside a couple of days ago?
- Are any plants starting to bulb/develop/grow?
- What species of birds are starting to build their nests?
- How is nighttime different now that it is spring? Do you hear different animals outside? Do you notice different sounds/smells/sights?
You could even print out a calender to mark together when you notice the signs of spring. We love to go on nature scavenger hunts where we look for different sights, smells or noises outside. Have fun welcoming Spring!
April 5, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
April 1, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
I went to Deerfield Elementary School in Edgewood, Maryland. My most vivid memory from that time was a
Nature Activity we did every winter just before spring. We would prepare pine cones for the birds by covering them with goodies and then hang them on the large pine trees outside our classroom windows. The best part was when the big fire engine arrived. A handful of lucky children were chosen to help hang their pine cones at the very top of the tree–with help from the fireman, of course.
Even though spring officially began March 20th many areas of the country, Utah included, are still feeling the cold. I decided to reminisce about those Edgewood Elementary days and make those same goodie-covered pine cones with my daughters.
When I told Abby there might be some little birdies having a hard time finding food, she was very upset and wanted to help immediately! We simply took a container of almost-gone peanut butter, added some birdseed and nuts and spread it on the pine cone. We hung it on the tree in our front yard and placed some orange slices on the branches. The afternoon ended with a discussion about birds and trees– a very peaceful afternoon indeed.
February 10, 2009 by admin · 1 Comment
This is a Simple Practice Page…trying out posts, pictures, categories and theme functions. This is a Simple Practice Page…trying out posts, pictures, categories and theme functions. This is a Simple Practice Page…trying out posts, pictures, categories and theme functions. This is a Simple Practice Page…trying out posts, pictures, categories and theme functions.
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