Ribbon Tree

I had the kids select a good sized branch and enough stones to "plant" it in a small bucket we had. I cut lengths of ribbon, string, and pipe cleaners for them to use to decorate their tree. This was good practice tying knots. The end result was interesting. Several people, including my husband, found it creepy - maybe because some of the ribbon we had was grayish-black. I thought it was festive. Half way through the boys asked me for sparkly things, so the craft expanded to include glue and spangles. They glued the spangles directly onto the branch, and also on to ribbons which they then attached to it. They did this 100% outside, which was good for me, and they cooperated nicely on it - seems like a project that lends itself to multiple kids working toward one outcome. The older helped the younger with tying, for instance, and the younger one introduced the spangles.

Natural Treasure Hunt

My sons needed some encouragement to get outside yesterday morning as the day was gray. My oldest is obsessed with TV, so I told him to collect these items before he could watch any. During the process he forgot about watching TV and became totally engaged in the activity. While I started the list, he soon asked to make the pictures himself (none of my kids read yet). I was impressed at the textures that he put into the bark, and at his suggestion to add mushrooms to the collection items. I liked that this activity incorporates number recognition, following a list, using pictorial "reading" skills, and of course, nature.

The boys found their magnifying glasses and spied all around the yard. They found quite a few items not on the list, most of them alive. I had a long conversation with one about where to find twigs (underneath the pine trees), the difference between evergreen trees and deciduous trees; he ran to every tree in the yard and asked about it - we talked about broad flat leaves vs. small fine needles in clusters. After the collection period, they enjoyed taking everything out of the wagon and comparing the list to the items. As it turns out they had forgotten a few of them and eagerly searched out those last couple of objects.

I have used this activity in the past as a way to get the kids out in the wintertime, when it's really cold and they need something short - in those cases you can just pick 3 or 4 things to get such as a dried up leaf, 2 pine cones, and 3 snowballs, and maybe one of those mittens that you left outside yesterday! In the autumn I've asked them how many different colors of leaves they can find. This has been an interesting excercise in the spectrum (one brother calls it yellow, another insists that it is brown - discuss!).

Usually my children need no incentive to go hiking, but if they were reluctant, introducing a list like this might sweeten the deal.

Fairy Houses

This activity is great for at home or out somewhere. The fun begins with treasure hunting for various materials to construct your house, and selection of an appropriate location. Then you're ready to start building. It was fun for me to do this, and my boys got into it also - especially my 3 year old. They introduced action figures and animal figures to the houses, so it turned into free play when we were done.

As it turned out, this was also a cool nature activity. Looking at the materials up close prompted a lot of questioning. And answering, of course.

Book that inspired us

How-to information

Reasons to Look Under a Dead Log

1. Nature is not dangerous for children. Take commonsense precautions like sunblock and bug repellent, but if you find yourself on a path by a river on a gorgeous day in May, sunlight streaming through new, unfurling leaves - think of it as an extra dose of vitamin D and keep walking. I'll admit that when I had two children under 2, and when I had two children under 3, and now with three children under 5 - I avoid deep water because I feel it isn't safe with only one parent. There is no need to worry about wild animals or bugs. Hiking with kids is safer than a lot of other activities due to lack of motor vehicles.

2. Children do appreciate nature. Kids need you to model appreciation for nature - to call their attention to beautiful or fascinating aspects of the natural world. This pays off when your 4 year old spontaneously prays, "Thank You, God, for this day! The sky is so blue!" and your 3 year old pipes up, "Mom, I see a forsythia! It's a beautiful yellow forsythia, over there!" My kids love water - small streams that they can dam up with rocks and sticks, or still water to throw stones into. They love sticks, for walking, throwing, weilding, smacking - and in the open woods, they can have sticks. They will eagerly hunt for Signs of the Season, identify plant species and observe animals.

3. It's not difficult to introduce your children to nature. All you need to do is step outside. The book, Last Child in the Woods, makes a point that natural world is not a separate entity from an "artificial world" that you live in, but can be found immediately outside our doors and windows in most cases, if not down the street. Your yard probably contains plenty of plant species, bugs and worms, and you can see birds, squirrels, clouds, sun and moon. This book posits that continuity in observation of a familiar nature spot is more important than far flung exploration, climbing mountains, etc. Louv demonstrates the importance and lasting effect of watching a single area, for instance an empty lot at the end of a city block, or the ditch behind the grocery store where kids ride bikes - or your backyard.

4. There's a lot to do in every season. In our area, hiking can happen all year long, with the exception of really cold snaps where temperatures are in the teens and low twenties. Bundle the kids up, keep the activities short. Include short outdoor play sessions when you do another activity, like a museum or shopping. Snow is the ultimate play dough, blocks, art surface, science experiment... Kids are different - I have one that complains of the cold incessantly and another who will hardly wear his coat. Experiment with what works for your family, but don't stay in once the temperature dips below 50, or refuse to walk in the rain. A rainy day is a day you are living and breathing.

Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods

Dead Log Activity Guide