Do you remember when you were a kid? Try to think back...what was it that made
an impression on you? Was it the walks in the parks with Mom and Dad? Exploring the neighborhood stream with your best friend?
Bicycling down a bike path for hours? Making mud pies?
Sit outside on a nice day, and remember these things that
brought you joy. Hopefully it is not too late for your children to experience these. I just read an article (forgive me if
I get the exact number wrong)...approximately 1% of people now know someone that owns acreage or a farm. This is EXTREMELY
down from many years ago. I was thinking the number was 67%. ONE percent...can you imagine?
Some of my most favorite
memories come playing on my grandparents properties as a child. One set of grandparents owned a quarter section (160
acres). I used to walk out there for hours. They raised cattle, so of course I would find cow teeth, bones...but I would also
find a kangaroo mouse, dung beetles and a host of other critters I would not see in the city. I absolutely treasure those
memories. My other set of grandparents owned some acreage where we were able to shoot off fireworks (since we were unable
to in the city). I loved going down there. They had a pond with many crawdads and frogs. I also learned about poison ivy
there.
These are the types of memories I strive to make with my children.
I hope you will enjoy some
of these ideas below. I will add to it as I brainstorm or take my children on an experience.
- Grow their own garden
- Make a bird
house
- Go on a scavenger hunt
- Plant
a seed and watch it grow
- Learn about good bugs
- PICK UP a bug!
- Make a bird feeder
- Plant a flower garden
- Make a butterfly feeder
- Go on a bug hunt
- Talk to an extension agent
- Identify bugs
- Photograph nature
- "Own" an ant farm
- Make a lady bug house
- Take your dog for a walk
- Feed the ducks at a local park
(if allowed)
- Catch lightening bugs in the hot summer nights
- Go camping
- Make crafts with items found in nature
- Go fishing (catch and release)
- Go to a zoo
- Watch the stars at night
- Go camping
- Make a bee house
- Identify birds
- Go boating or canoing
- Identify trees
- Walk the shoreline of a lake or pond
- Go to an aquarium
- Identify animals
- Grow a herb or vegetable garden (and
cook with the yield)
- Go to a nature preserve
- Build a campfire
- Identify plants
- Go to a botanical garden
- Identify butterflies
- Watch caterpillars eat their host plant
- Stand still at let a butterfly
land on you
- Watch birds at the bird feeder
