This can be a challenging age group to keep interested in nature. But if you tune into their interests in recreation and real life than you will find more success.
Their interests seems to be a step away from learning about nature and a step into outdoor recreation and sports.
Letting them particapate in planning something they will enjoy on the outing often helps as well.
STEAM and adventure opportunites mat draw them in a new or familiar enviroment. Plus, an interest in conservation and ecology can be prompted.
Allowing them to bring a friend along to help them enjoy the natural environment also helps.
Superscript
Wild Activities for Older Children
And Teens
Kids today are spending more time on the couch and less time enjoying the natural world outside.
Many children today suffer from “nature deficit disorder.” That means that today there is a generation of kids that has limited contact with the natural world due to a variety of factors.
Why Don’t Kids Play Outside Anymore?
Many adults of today can easily remember lazy summer days filled with outdoor activities. But today, safety concerns cause many parents to limit their children’s time outside. Kids who are raised on a steady diet of electronic media may become accustomed to being “entertained” and have difficulty shifting their attention to a less “stimulating” activity. Some kids don’t have access to safe, healthy outdoor environments, and others are involved in so many structured activities there is no time left over for creative outdoor play.
Why Do Kids Need to Be Outside More?
Outside play, with its fresh air and physical activity, is the natural cure for those kids who would prefer to sit and play video games or watch TV all day. With childhood obesity at all-time highs, it’s imperative that kids get off the couch and get active. Interaction with nature can help spark curiosity, imagination, and creativity. It can also be a great stress reliever and may provide some relief for symptoms of ADD and depression.
Encourage kids of all ages to get outside as much as possible. Try one of these ideas:
9 TIPS TO GET OUTSIDE WITH TEENS AND TWEENS
May 20, 2022 By Linda McGurk
“When my kids were little, getting outside was easy but now, when they’re older, it’s hard to get them engaged in outdoor pursuits. I don’t know what to do – it’s almost like starting over again.”
Sounds familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Almost on a weekly basis, I’m contacted by parents who are at a loss for how to get outside with tweens and teens. Many have spent years trying to create a family culture based on nature connection through outdoor activities with their little ones. Then they hit a brick wall as the kids reach puberty, or even before that. The child who used to willingly tag along for picnics, dig moats in the backyard and crave trips to the park all of a sudden has zero interest in going outside.
I’m no child psychologist, but I think it’s perfectly normal for tweens and teens to test their boundaries and assert their independence in this way. Looking back at my own childhood, I know there came a time when I rejected just about any idea that came from my parents, including outdoor pursuits. The significant difference being that while satellite TV was considered the pinnacle of entertainment back then (or possibly a Nintendo if you were lucky), kids have a plethora of digital distractions that keep them on the couch today.
SCREEN TIME BATTLES
It’s not easy for outdoor activities to compete with the addictive draw of smartphones, social media and gaming consoles. And the deeper the kids are drawn into the world of electronic entertainment, the harder it seems to get them interested in going outside. I see it with my own kids, who are 10 and 13 today, and I honestly don’t know of a single parent of older children who isn’t involved in pretty much daily battles about screen time.
While I do think it’s common for kids’ interest in the outdoors to go down periodically, it’s still worth the effort to get outside with teens and tweens. If you too are struggling, give my strategies a try. They have helped me navigate my children’s teen and tween years and will hopefully help you too!
9 TIPS TO GET OUTSIDE WITH TEENS AND TWEENS
Talk to them about making healthy choices. I know, it sounds boring as heck, but they need to hear that going outside physical activity outside is key to their health today and in the future. They may not care (or pretend not to care) now, but if we keep repeating these messages, they will eventually become part of their inner voice.
Limit screen time. Few children self-regulate successfully when it comes to video games or social media, so get to know the parent controls on your child’s electronic devices and don’t be shy to use them. I use iPhone’s family sharing and screen time functions to limit my kids’ time on their smartphones, as well as the Google Home app to limit WiFi access on their Chrome books. Once the screen time runs out, the prospects of getting them outside improve. You could also try having screen-free times of the day or even a screen-free day of the week.
Trade screen time for green time. Your child’s desire for more screen time is also your best bargaining chip, so use it to get them outside more. For example, an hour of outdoor time could buy an extra half hour of screen time. Adapt the ratio as your kid gets older and try to keep it reasonable for their age. Be clear and consistent about the rules, so the kids know what to expect.
Play with them. Yes, I realize some teens would rather be caught dead than seen playing with their parents, but up to a certain age many secretly enjoy it as well. Your teen may be fundamentally uninterested in going for a walk, but if you bring along a ball, it might be a different story. Mine is always up for a game of tag, sledding or a snowball fight and I try to make the most of it while it lasts.
Have a goal. While younger kids are often happy to hang around in the backyard with no particular plans, older kids tend to be more motivated by having a goal, like hiking up a peak or riding their bikes to a set destination.
Bring a friend. Even if you think you’re the only company your kids need, they may think otherwise and in my experience, few things motivate kids to go outside like other kids.
Create a buy-in. Try to get your child involved in the process of planning your outings. For example, let them jot down activities on post-it notes and put them in a jar. At the start of each week, have them pick a note from the jar and plan your weekend based on that.
Give them space. Do things outdoors as a family as often as you possibly can, but be aware that your child’s need for independence is growing. The more freedom you give them to do their own thing outdoors, the more interested they’ll likely be in exploring it.
Hang in there! I know getting tweens and teens outside can be a challenge but don’t give up. This too shall pass and whether they become the outdoor enthusiast you are or not, the moments spent in nature with you will stay with them for a lifetime.
Developing Observation Skills
Play a game to explore how scientists use observation to learn about our world.
Activity Details
Time needed: 40 minutes
Materials needed:
10-15 small items, such as keys, pens, coins, paperclips, small toys, etc.
A towel, blanket, or similar item to cover all the items at once
A blank sheet of paper
A pen or pencil
Setup:
Scientists study nature to better understand how it works. They use what they learn to create solutions that help people, animals, and the environment. Scientists use a process called the scientific method to solve problems and learn new things.
One of the first steps of the scientific method is observation. Observation is watching and noticing something using all your senses, especially sight. It’s the start of every experiment and scientific discovery.
Activity:
To get started, gather the listed materials and find a sibling, parent, or family member to be your partner.
Part 1: Identify quick changes.
Start by facing your partner.
Spend about 15 seconds looking at each other to remember every detail about the way you look. What do your partner’s clothes look like? Are they wearing jewelry? Pay super close attention!
Then turn around so you're standing back to back. Each of you should change one (just one!) thing about your appearance. For example, you may turn up your collar, take off your glasses, take off a ring, or roll down your socks.
Then turn around and face each other again. Can you see which change your partner made in how they look? Are they able to guess what you changed?
Observation is watching and noticing something using all of your senses, especially sight, to gather information. So when you just paid close attention to your partner, you were observing them to notice when something changed!
Part 2: Practice observation.
Observation is an important step for scientists when they want to understand something. They look closely at all the details. Sometimes scientists observe what they thought they would. Other times they're surprised!
For the next part of the activity, you’ll play another game to sharpen your observation skills!
First ask your partner to hide all the small items under the towel. Then ask them to uncover the items.
After they remove the towel, spend 30 seconds observing the items.
Have your partner cover the items again.
How many can you remember?
Were you able to remember all the items?
Brainstorm a few ways you could remember the items.
For example, you could look at them longer or make a list.
Have your partner uncover the items for you to observe again. But this time, use your pencil and paper to make a list of the items.
After 30 seconds, have your partner cover the items. How many items you can remember?Were you able to remember more than the first time?
Do you think you would now notice when something changes? Have your partner lift the covering just enough to add or remove one item without you seeing.
Then have them uncover the items again for 30 seconds for you to observe. Make sure to write a list to help you remember!
After 30 seconds, have your partner cover the items. How many items you can remember this time?What was different? What was new or missing?
Repeat the game a few more times, having your partner add and remove items. After each round, see how many items you can remember. Can you remember them all? Can you notice what changes each time?
And that’s it! You’ve learned how to observe the world around you, just like a scientist. The next time you’re observing something, remember to look at the object from different angles. Go close and look for the tiny details. Then step back and think about how the object you're observing fits into everything around it; this will help you learn something new!
Observe Outdoor Spaces
Find animal homes in nature.
Activity Details
Time Needed: 15-30 minutes
Materials Needed:
Access to an outdoor space
Magnifying glass
Activity: If you look closely at objects in nature, you can see how different living things create homes (den’s) for themselves. Find some outdoor objects (like rocks and branches) and gently turn them over. Then use a magnifying glass to see if anything lives underneath. Remember that plants are living things, too! When you’ve finished looking, carefully turn the objects back over. Talk about what you saw with your friends or family. Did anything surprise you?
Help improve an outdoor space. Do you know an outdoor space that could use a little love? Come up with some ideas for ways to leave an outdoor area better, then talk to an adult about how you could put your plan into action.
Connecting with Nature- Section One
Wild Activities to get teens and tweens off screens
Do you find it harder to get older kids outside? Screens are such competition that there is so much for the outdoors to compete with – it’s often not the activity of choice for our teens and tweens. Older kids might need a bit more motivation to get outdoors but there are so many brilliant things for teens and tweens to do in the great outdoors if they have a few prompts! Read on for some unique ideas to get older kids outside as well ideas for getting kids of all ages adventuring and enjoying the great outdoors.
Why is getting outside so important for teens and tweens?
Getting outdoors with older kids
Getting outdoors is so important, particularly for teenagers.We all know that getting outside and exercising is crucial for our mental health. Now more than ever, kids and teens are widely disconnected from nature and spending copious amounts of time indoors. Being outside can reduce stress and just a simple walk can reduce anxiety or worry which is a vital mental health strategy that teens need to learn. “Wilderness Therapy” and ‘Forest Bathing’ has emerged as a way to help troubled teens and adolescents boost their self-esteem but fun activities outdoors can be a simple way to give anyone a ‘feel good feeling!’
Outdoor adventures can boost confidence as they help kids build resilience (Duke of Edinburgh anyone?) With more children spending time indoors than ever before, spending time outdoors and constantly stimulated will help a child to grow in confidence and develop resilience.
If you’ve got older children and you’re looking for tips and tricks to get them off computer screens and outside here is your bumper list of outdoor activities that teens will love! For older kids increasing the level of challenge for your outdoors adventures is really important. Teenagers enjoy problem-solving, challenges and teambuilding, luckily all of these can be done very successfully in the great outdoors but if you’re looking for ideas to help families with older children get outside you might need to increase the adventure level challenge. Try camping, canoeing, rock climbing, roller skating, mountain biking, BMXing for engaging teens. These adventures don’t have to be expensive though, sometimes challenging a teen or tween to climb a small mountain is enough to get them outdoors!
Outside Challenge Ideas for Older Kids
Sometimes kids that are reluctant to adventure outdoors – just need to be set a challenge! We took our nine and 11-year-old and set them the challenge of finding a campsite we could walk to from my house and then pitching a tent and cooking dinner. And they did it! We walked the 12 miles to our campsite, pitched the tent without the help of Dad (who we normally rely on) and cooked sausages over a fire! We may have needed help from the friendly campsite owner who lent us a fire-lighter but we did do it! They still talk with pride about their camping adventure – there were lots of memories made.
Den Building Challenge
Grab some friends together, give each team some tarpaulin, some pegs and have them build their own shelter and award a prize for the sturdiest! We also love to use these handy den making bungees when making dens, thanks to @happywildones for introducing us to these! They’re perfect for making outdoors dens.
Ideas to get Older kids outdoors
Put the kids in Charge
Give older kids more control, let them choose the route, the trip out or even send them off ahead and allow them to create the route for younger kids. They could leave stick arrows or flour markings to mark the way – like Hansel and Gretel!
Nerf Gun Wars Might be a little unconventional but challenge your kids to Nerf Gun War and they will jump at the chance to spend some time outdoors!
Ideas to get kids off screens and outdoors
Geocaching Most kids like treasure hunts but for older kids geocaching can be just the ticket they need to get outside. Geocaching is like a worldwide treasure hunt using your phone – there are many different apps you can use to crack a code or find a geocache. Try Geocaching here.
Pokemon Go
Rather than making the mistake of pitching the outdoors versus screen time – make the outdoors a cool thing in itself. If your kids are gripped by computer games – use the app to get them playing games outside!
Go Biking or Hiking and explore nature around you.
Biking or hiking are two great activities to get teens outside to enjoy some fresh air and to enjoy the scenery.
Plant a Garden.
Nothing tastes better than a fresh salad made with home-grown vegetables. Teens will learn valuable skills such as planning and organization while benefiting from physical exertion and fresh air.
Purchasing, or better yet, building, a simple birdhouse can turn any backyard into the go-to spot for local feathered friends. Place feeders close enough to windows to afford an unobstructed view, fill with birdseed, and be patient. How to Make a Pine Cone Bird Feeder
Play in the Sand.
Sand play isn’t just for little kids. Sifting, dumping, and building can be fun and relaxing for kids of all ages. Add molds, water, vehicles, and other details to create elaborate roads, buildings, and waterways.
Stare at the Sky.
The sky is full of simple yet amazing things; all you need to do is lie down on your back in the grass and look up. Check out the shapes clouds make in the sky, or the way the sky changes color at sunrise and sunset.
Read Outdoors.
If your teenager is into reading, change up their reading location and have them read outside.
Outside play doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate. In fact, some of the best ideas are often the simplest.
Natural science can be divided into two main branches: life science and physical science. Life science is alternatively known as biology, and physical science is subdivided into branches: physics, chemistry, earth science, and astronomy. These branches of natural science may be further divided into more specialized branches (also known as fields). As empirical sciences, natural sciences use tools from the formal sciences, such as mathematics and logic, converting information about nature into measurements which can be explained as clear statements of the "laws of nature".[2]
More Parent Information at the bottom of this page
Nearing World Animal Day, we couldn’t have had a more stunning wildlife experience during our holiday on Moreton Bay. But while out exploring wildlife, we came across a sight that was sad and startling for Miss Possum and I didn’t shield her eyes but instead helped to open them.
Pokémon was a hit with children all over the world. They fell in love with the out-of-this-world creatures and their connections with humans. There’s just one problem. Children know more about Pokémon creatures than our real wildlife species.
This website will engage children in a land of make-believe, allowing them to become a new kind of wild creature by adding their different animal features to a boy or girl body (website review).
My eight-year-old daughter no longer wanted her doll’s house but refused to give it away. She then came up with… READ MORE
WILD ACTIVITIES
Whether they crawl, fly, swim, slither, walk, run or pounce, wild animals rely on their instincts. Read about all kinds of wild animals, mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles and amphibians.
If it’s cicada season near you then there’s plenty of opportunities to explore these creatures with your children. Here are some wonderful tips are written by Sarah Higman from Kids Activities Delivered.
Making an animal track plot is a really exciting way to get outdoors, find out about what creatures live near you, and to learn animal tracking skills.
If you live in more of a suburban to a rural area and have birds a plenty or a regular wildlife visitor to your backyard, building a bird hide is a perfect activity for you and your family.
I try to teach my children that every animal has a role to play and so when we stumble on any creatures, we usually take some time to look at and discuss it. This time though, we have to get a little more hands-on!
Sometimes it’s not easy to get out into a wildlife habitat when a child’s interest is piqued. There’s always great alternatives. This is one of these moments where a cave exploration was too hard unless we did it from home!
Visiting a glow worm cave is a fascinating experience. Firstly, it allows children to get up-close to the little larvae and see them in proportion (I honestly thought they were the size of an earthworm); it encourages wonderful scientific discussions about their glowing butt and it allows children to experience an unusual type of wildlife species.
It may appear that I’m suggesting you keep maggots as pets (mealworms do look quite similar) but mealworms are in fact quite different and a very educational companion animal.
Crickets always appear in a hurry, makes beautiful sounds that put you to sleep at night and they’re really fun to watch but there are plenty of other reasons why they make great pets.
Many of us automatically view snails as an annoying little pest that eats our veggie gardens but next time you see one, don’t get out the spray (or organic defenses) just yet, snails make great pets for kids! Why keep snails?
There have been many studies on the positive benefits of children having pets. Find out how having fish as pets can help develop your child.
Nature Adventures Older Kids
Adventures On the Shore
Finally my children went on a rock pooling adventure. It was one of those beach activities they had never done so I needed to teach them how to be rock pool explorers. I took them to National Trust’s Birling Gap in East Sussex which is known for its rock pools at low tide.
We lived two years on the beach in the Hamptons in New York State but there were no rock pools on either the Atlantic or bay side beaches which surrounded us. But Britain’s rocky shores are famous for rock pooling with kids.
NETS, BUCKETS, SPADES AND A LOW TIDE
All Luce and Theo needed were nets, buckets and a low tide. At first they insisted on wearing their trainers arguing they wanted a good grip on the rocks. What is it about 8 years old refusing to listen to advice? Wet feet soon persuaded them that mother knows best. We made a quick return trip to the car parked at Birling Gap to put on their wellies.
Although I had smaller nets with us, my twins decided to spend their pocket money. Each bought a colourful net with a long pole from the National Trust Visitor Centre at Birling Gap. But they were careful not to harm any of the small creatures in the rock pools with them. Of course, the poles are also rather handy for drawing patterns in the sand.
SPOTTING CREATURES
Down on the beach they soon began spotting limpets as well as beadlet anemones clinging to the foreshore rocks. They knew these were only for admiring and not pulling off the rocks. If they scooped up any creatures in their nets from a water pool for a closer look, my twins knew they had to return them to the water soon after. Look, inspect, don’t harm and then return any sea creatures to their homes if anything was captured was our modus operandi.
Some creatures prefer exposed shores (e.g. Barnacles and Limpets, smaller and tough seaweeds) whilst others like sheltered shores which are often covered in mud and silt (e.g. brown seaweeds, crabs, mussels).” BBC
BEST PLACES TO LOOK
Most rock pool creatures are marine animals and need full seawater. Pools closest to the sea edge are better – look at these first and move inland as the tide comes in.” National Trust
My kids also searched in between the rock crevices where it’s the best place to find hidden molluscs.
UNDERWATER VIEWER
We brought a homemade underwater viewer on our beach adventure. In a two litre empty plastic bottle we cut a rectangular hole. I covered the sharp edges with duct tape. Carefully they took turns submerging part of the bottle in the water to get a clearer view of the wonders at the bottom of a rock pool.
I chose Birling Gap for their first rock pooling adventure as it’s famous for this nature activity including outings with their rangers to discover the ‘fascinating life in the rock pools.’ It’s also one of the most kid-friendly spots under the stunning chalk cliffs along this southeast coastline of England. Luckily it’s easy to get down to the beach at Birling Gap as there are steps there from the clifftop to the shore. Other groups such as the Sussex Wildlife Trust organise rock-pooling events along the Sussex shoreline during the warmer months.
More info on Birling Gap here and Sussex Wildlife Trust here.
You'll be amazed by all the things that travel down the watery highway of a creek! Make this gadget and see what you can catch.
What You'll Need:
Wire coat hanger or piece of strong wire
Screen or mesh
Duct tape
Step 1: Bend a wire coat hanger into a rough circle.
Step 2: Take a piece of old screen, and bend it around the coat hanger. (Be careful not to stick yourself with the screen. You may want to wear work gloves or gardening gloves while doing this.)
Step 3: Apply duct tape to hold the screen in place.
Step 4: Go to a creek or stream with an adult. Put your screen into the current and hold it there for a few minutes.
Step 5: Take out the screen and see what the current has carried onto it.
You might find seeds that will land on the creek's bank and grow into plants. Or, you might find water animals such as insects, minnows, or crayfish. (Put them back in the creek right away, so they stay alive.)
You might even find something somebody lost a long way upstream!
The next science activity will put you in the mindset of a famous explorer.
For more fun outdoor activities and kids' crafts, check out:
Discover your own uncharted territory with this fun and educational exploration activity! You can be an explorer when you visit a river, stream, lake, pond, or tide pool.
What You'll Need:
Notebook
Pen or pencil
In 1804-1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were the first European-Americans to travel across what is now the western United States.
They kept journals full of notes and drawings to tell the rest of the world about all the strange, new things they saw: plants, animals, mountains, and much more.
How to do the Exploration Activity:
With an adult, visit a body of water near your home. Imagine that you are an explorer.
Look closely at the plants, animals, rocks, and other natural elements. Tell about them in a journal.
You can even make a map of the area for explorers who will follow in your footsteps. Don't forget that explorers may find all kinds of surprises. Meriwether Lewis met a grizzly bear one day, and had to jump into a river to escape!
Keep reading for a science experiment that shows what can grow in places you may not expect.
For more fun outdoor activities and kids' crafts, check out:
Take a micro-hike into a tiny world and discover what lives there.
What You'll Need:
String
Safe scissors
Short stakes
Magnifying glasses
Paper and toothpicks (optional)
Step 1: Measure out about 20 to 30 feet of string. Tie each end to a short stake, such as a tent stake.
Step 2: Take your string and stakes outdoors and stretch the string across an area with some variation. You might run it across part of a lawn, under an arching shrub, and alongside a flower bed.
Step 3: Secure the line with more stakes if necessary. Keep in mind that the string doesn't have to be straight; it can run along the base of a fence or beside a pond or stream.
Step 4: Start at one end of the string on your hands and knees. Make sure that you and every person who will be "hiking" with you has a magnifying glass. Use your magnifying glasses to examine everything under the string.
Step 5: Look for different kinds of plants, including moss between the grass blades or under a shrub. Look for fungi of different forms. Find animals such as insects, spiders, and worms.
Step 6: Move slowly down the string, searching for every living thing you can find. You might end up taking a whole hour to hike! You never know what interesting things you'll find.
Step 7: When you're done, write down what you've seen or compare your observations with those of others who hiked with you. What interesting things did they see that you missed?
Step 8: After discussing your discoveries, use paper and toothpicks to make tiny signs to mark the most interesting ones. Then invite others to take your hike!
The next experiment will show you that people aren't the only ones who get chilly in the winter.
For more fun outdoor activities and kids' crafts, check out:
The weather bug experiment answers a nagging question: Where do bugs go when it's cold? Summer is definitely the season of the buzzing, bothersome fly. Hordes of them seem to invade your house and your yard as soon as the weather turns warm. But why do they seem to vanish when the cool, short days return?
It's because cold weather bothers some insects. This activity will show you how much.
What You'll Need:
Clean jar with a lid full of air holes
Pancake syrup
One captured fly
Refrigerator
Step 1: Capture an ordinary housefly in a clear plastic or glass jar. (You can use a bit of pancake syrup to lure your fly into the jar.) Be sure the jar has air holes so your experiment subject won't suffer as you hold it captive.
Step 2: Observe the fly. Do you see how fast and active the fly is even while inside the jar?
Step 3: Place the jar inside your fridge for half an hour.
Step 4: Retrieve the jar and watch the fly now. Has the temporary chill slowed it down? Remember to release the fly outside once your experiment is complete.
Keep reading for a science activity that puts a rocky rainbow at your fingertips.
For more fun outdoor activities and kids' crafts, check out:
Before we went rock pooling we checked the tide times as we wanted to be there during the low tide when the rocks are exposed. On purpose we arrived early when there was still a high tide as it was a perfect excuse for a stunning coastal walk with a view of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. I made sure too we knew when the tides would change so that we were in no danger of being caught by a rising tide.
We’ll be back in the summer to explore the rock pools again – especially as Luce and Theo are keen to spot some crabs. They still talk about the crab that nipped Theo’s finger when we had an early morning shrimping surprise on the Kent coast. In the meanwhile, they can tick off rock pooling as one of the 50 things to do before they’re 11 ¾. Where are the best places you’ve gone rock pooling? And what are your favourite tips?
On nature walks we constantly spot animal footprints and can see where they roam when we’re not about. We’ve also… READ MORE
Make A Bug Box
Build a box to observe bugs and learn how they move before releasing them.
Activity Details Time needed: 30 minutes
Materials needed
A cardboard shoebox with lid
Tape or glue
Plastic wrap
Scissors
A ruler
A pencil
A tool to make small holes, such as a thumbtack (may need adult assistance)
Bugs
Natural materials, like sticks, grass, a flower, etc.
Setup:
Bugs help us in lots of cool ways. Explore their world and learn more about these little creatures that do so much. You can take a closer look at bugs in action by making a bug box. Try using it to watch grasshoppers, centipedes, lightning bugs/fireflies, crickets, or moths. Check with an adult first to make sure your bugs don’t bite!
Activity
Follow the steps below:
Remove the lid from your cardboard shoe box.
Use the ruler to measure and the pencil to sketch a 3” x 6” rectangle from one of the long sides of the box, then use your scissors to cut it out.
Prepare a piece of plastic wrap that is large enough to cover the cutout side. With the cutout side facing you, tape or glue the plastic wrap to create a window. Make sure the window is tight enough that bugs cannot escape.
Poke three small breathing holes (smaller than your bugs, so they won't get out) into each side of the box. You may need to ask an adult to help you make the holes with a thumbtack or other tool.
Poke three small breathing holes (smaller than your bugs, so they won’t get out) into each side of the box. You may need to ask an adult to help you make the holes with a thumbtack or other tool.
Add bugs! Be gentle so they don’t get hurt. Recover the box. After you've had an hour to watch, carefully place the bugs back where you found them.
Awesome Aquascope
Awesome Aquascope
Have you ever looked at the surface of a pond or stream and wished you could see what was going on down there? With this awesome aquascope, now you can.
What You'll Need:
Half-gallon milk carton
Knife
Plastic wrap
Large rubber band
Heavy tape
How to Make an Awesome Aquascope:
Step 1: Take an empty half-gallon milk carton and cut the bottom and top off the carton.
Step 2: Stretch clear plastic wrap over one end of the carton. Use a big rubber band to hold it in place tight or use heavy tape. You just made your own aquascope.
Step 3: Head for that pond or stream. If the water is deep, have an adult along with you. Hold the plastic-covered end of your aquascope just under the surface of the water and look through the other end. What's going on down there? Be careful not to harm any of the wildlife.
If the aquascope still doesn't get you a close enough look, keep reading to learn how to observe water organisms with a pond net instead.
For more fun kids crafts and activities, check out:
One way to explore water life is to create a pond dip net and catch living organisms for observation. Don't forget to return the animals back to the pond when you're done.
What You'll Need:
Stiff wire coat hanger
Broomstick
Heavy wood staples (the kind that are hammered in)
Tape measure
Waterproof tape
Safe scissors
Cheesecloth or wide-mesh nylon net
Needle and thread
Tall rubber boots
Large metal pan (such as an aluminum roasting pan)
Bucket
How to Make a Pond Dip Net:
Step 1: To make a dip net, bend a stiff wire coat hanger in the shape of a D, leaving the hook in the middle of the straight part of the D. Straighten the hook and use heavy wood staples to fasten the straightened hook to the end of a broomstick.
Step 2: Fold the wire back over the last staple. Wrap the end in waterproof tape.
Step 3: Measure the distance around the wire frame. Cut some cheesecloth that width and 18 inches long.
Step 4: Sew the ends together into a tube. Stitch one end of the tube shut. Sew the open end of the tube to the frame by turning the edge over the frame then stitching the fabric to itself.
Step 5: To use your dip net, put on rubber boots and wade into a pond (with an adult along). Be careful not to wade in water deeper than your boots.
Step 6: Hold the net in the water with the handle upright and the net resting on the pond bottom. Have a bucket with a little water in it ready
in the other hand.
Step 7: Move slowly through the water and gently move the net up and down. Stop now and then and dump the contents of your net into the bucket. After you've done several nettings, come ashore and dump the bucket into a wide pan. Add a little water so your animals can swim.
Step 8: When you are done, return the animals to the pond. Some pond animals (such as native turtles) are endangered because of over-collection.
Put on your thinking caps -- continue on the next page to learn all about the earth's oceans and rivers.
What's in a River?
Find out what's in a river with a strainer.
You'll be amazed by all the things that travel down the watery highway of a creek! Make this gadget and see what you can catch.
What You'll Need:
Wire coat hanger or piece of strong wire
Screen or mesh
Duct tape
Step 1: Bend a wire coat hanger into a rough circle.
Step 2: Take a piece of old screen, and bend it around the coat hanger. (Be careful not to stick yourself with the screen. You may want to wear work gloves or gardening gloves while doing this.)
Step 3: Apply duct tape to hold the screen in place.
Step 4: Go to a creek or stream with an adult. Put your screen into the current and hold it there for a few minutes.
Step 5: Take out the screen and see what the current has carried onto it.
You might find seeds that will land on the creek's bank and grow into plants. Or, you might find water animals such as insects, minnows, or crayfish. (Put them back in the creek right away, so they stay alive.)
You might even find something somebody lost a long way upstream!
The next science activity will put you in the mindset of a famous explorer.
Exploration Activity
Discover your own uncharted territory with this fun and educational exploration activity! You can be an explorer when you visit a river, stream, lake, pond, or tide pool.
What You'll Need:
Notebook
Pen or pencil
In 1804-1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were the first European-Americans to travel across what is now the western United States.
They kept journals full of notes and drawings to tell the rest of the world about all the strange, new things they saw: plants, animals, mountains, and much more.
How to do the Exploration Activity:
With an adult, visit a body of water near your home. Imagine that you are an explorer.
Look closely at the plants, animals, rocks, and other natural elements. Tell about them in a journal.
You can even make a map of the area for explorers who will follow in your footsteps. Don't forget that explorers may find all kinds of surprises. Meriwether Lewis met a grizzly bear one day, and had to jump into a river to escape A stream adventure with kids
25APR
What is it about streams and kids? Without fail when we’re out on a walk if there’s a stream nearby then my twins Luce and Theo immediately are drawn to it. But it’s not just them. It’s the same when their friends have joined us. They all want to go on a stream adventure. Perhaps it’s because children are natural explorers and love playing in water. A stream or a brook is often an ideal natural play area for kids.
Water is one of the most valuable play environments, and running water adds an extra dimension and challenge as anyone who has played in a stream or on the beach will know.” Nature play ideas by the Forestry Commission.
In fact Luce and Theo insist we regularly go on walks where they just follow a stream – such as this past weekend and last week and too many other times to name. They love straying off the main paths and finding their route through a wood with just the stream acting as their guide.
You can find out which UK National Trust natural play areas have streams to splash in here.
Actually I also have to take on the ‘parent guide’ role. As they climb over brambles, clamber down hills to be close to the stream, you can hear my shouts echo through the woods – “that hill is too steep ” …“careful of the slippery mud”… “the water is too deep there” etc. , etc.. But whether it’s playing in streams or climbing a tree I know that it’s good for kids to assess and take risks.
The best stream adventures include:
Following a stream
Throwing sticks and pebbles into the stream
Building a dam (then taking it apart)
Finding shallow areas to wade and splash in
Looking for wildlife, signs of wildlife, little critters and more in or next to a stream
Make boats from twigs and leaves to float in the stream
Crossing a gentle stream
If a stream is too deep then find a bridge to play ‘pooh sticks,’ the famous game from Winnie-the-Pooh where you drop sticks in the water and see which one moves faster downstream.
It doesn’t matter either if it’s winter, spring, summer or autumn. Of course when it’s warm Luce and Theo tend to splash about in the water more! Last summer they also were convinced that they had found a beaver lodge in local Sussex woods. They ignored me when I told them there were no beavers in the English wild anymore – except for a couple places in UK where they have been reintroduced. (In Britain beavers were hunted to extinction by the 16th century). Luce and Theo wanted to imagine that beavers were sharing this stream with them.
Sometimes my instinct as a parent is to get anxious that they’re going to hurt themselves or try to cross a stream where it’s too deep or too slippery. But Luce and Theo know they must not wander off where I can’t see them and must be careful around water. I sigh with relief when they play in an area of the stream that is very shallow, gentle and calm.
After a recent stream adventure, I finally had a chance to relax at home. Lo and behold there was a Sunday Times article with the title “Children need danger, says safety chief.” It was a report on how the outgoing head of the UK Health and Safety Executive Dame Judith Hackitt felt children needed to experience danger.
She said children should be encouraged to climb trees, play games where there might a be a risk of injury and go on field trips and other adventures…’Overprotective parents and risk-averse teachers who do not enable children to learn how to handle risk will lead to young adults who are poorly equipped to deal with the realities of the world around them, unable to discover real risk from trivia, not knowing who they can trust or believe.’” Sunday Times
Building a dam on a stream is also one of the “50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾” listed by the National Trust. I don’t have photos of their latest dam effort because I put my camera back into the bag when they were building it as I was trying not to slip in the mud! Luckily mud is good for us all.
Luce and Theo are only 8 years old but I know as they get older they’re going to be even more adventurous by streams. Despite my worries I know they’ll be having a great time outdoors in nature and will be taking risks that help them later as adults. I have very fond memories of heading off to swim in a natural pool in a stream on hot June days when I was a young teen at school in the Dorset countryside.
Some kids don’t want to be organized all the time. They want to let their imaginations run; they want to see where a stream of water takes them.
Richard Louv ‘Last Child in the Woods
’
Is there a stream your kids love to play in too? Any other stream adventure ideas you can add?
Lakes are typically relatively slow-flowing bodies of open water. Ponds and impoundments fall into this category.
The term lake does not include artificially made ponds, excavations, containment structures connected to agriculture, wastewater treatment plants, fishponds, fire suppression systems, or golf courses.
Lakes are really complex bodies of water and natural environments that are continuously changing.
Things that you cannot see in a lake, such as the dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and metals
Water in lakes is collected from the land surrounding the lake and drained into it and a bigger part of the overall ecosystem.
The characteristics of this body of water can be significantly affected by any single factor affecting its system.
Lakes provide us with activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, and camping.
Our lifestyle is so tightly linked with lakes that maintaining their health is crucial, in order to continue to enjoy it and for them to continue thriving in an ecosystem that is also healthy.
Almost all lakes contain freshwater. Water is obtained through rainfall, melting ice, streams, and seepage from the ground.
Crater lakes and calderas are formed in volcanic craters. Oxbow lakes are small, crescent-shaped lakes that are made by the meandering or the winding flow of rivers over time.
A lot of lakes today are artificially made to create hydro-electric power, which is made from the falling force of water. They make this water for us to use at home, for farmers, or even for big factories.
Fun Lake Facts
One of the lakes on Saturn’s moon Titan, called Kraken Mare, is a massive 388,500km² which makes it larger than the Caspian Sea. But do you think it’s got water inside it? No, it doesn’t, it is actually a lake of liquid gas. That would be awesome to see. This is because the average temperature up there is -181°C. Ouch, that’s cold! Imagine seeing a liquid gas lake? That would be weird.
Want to learn a new word? Well, it’s Limnology and this is the study of inland water bodies and ecosystems. Go on practice saying it and watch your teacher’s face as she sees how smart you are!
The lowest lake in the world is the Dead Sea that is on the edge of Israel and Jordan. The surface level is 418m below sea level. It is also one of the saltiest lakes in the world.
The highest lake in the world is the crater lake of Ojos del Salado at 6,390m above sea level. The mountain lake sits on the border of Chile and Argentina.
The deepest lake in the world is Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia. It is 1,637m at its deepest point.
The longest lake in the world is Lake Tanganyika in Africa at 660km and it is also the second deepest. That would be a challenge for swimming in this lake.
Located on the border of the USA and Canada are the Great Lakes of North America. They include 5 lakes which together contain around 21% of the world’s freshwater supply. That’s unbelievable!
Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and also has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world at 82,000km². Talk about large…wow!
Finland has the nickname ‘Land of the Thousand Lakes’ as there are over 187,000 lakes in the country.
Now you know everything about lakes. Hope you can use this information to be the superstar in your class!
When my children were 5 we first started bird watching. There was an empty bird feeder in the tree outside… READ MORE
Outdoor Activities for tweens and teens
Bike Ride
Hire them for a family bike ride or encourage BMXing or mountain biking for more adventurous teens!
Stargazing
Something that’s sure to get a teen outside is the adventure of sleeping out under the stars! You can use the app star walk to find the names of the stars you’re sleeping underneath!
Photo Scavenger Hunt
Older kids love taking photos on their phones so why not combine this with time outdoors? A photo scavenger is a great way to keep kids busy while having fun. If you have tech-savvy kids, this is a wonderful way to get them exploring outside whilst tapping into their interests. Sign up below for a FREE Photo Scavenger Hunt that’s fun for all teens and tweens aged 9 upwards. Visit our shop for more Photo Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids of all ages.
Get kids to play tricks on their friends by taking funny photographs that fool the eye! Can they make the big look small and the small look big? Our kids had fun trying these in the garden!
Perspective shots for kids to try
Outdoor Art
Visit some outdoor art or create your own! See our 100 Nature Crafts for Kids for loads of ideas of Nature Art you can make – including some great ideas for tweens!
Skateboarding
Loads of playgrounds now have skate ramps – older kids will love the thrill of learning skateboarding and its a great one to do for teens with their friends.
Fly a Drone
Getting teens and tweens outside, off the couch and out from behind their computer or TV screens could be easy when offering them some technology to play with. Obviously ensure that the drone is suitable for the age group of child but kids will love flying drones and even taking cool nature photos!
How to get older kids off screens and outside
Fires
All kids love fires – they are cozy, magical but also have an element of danger to them. Older kids will love learning how to manage and cook on a fire and eventually – cooking their dinner on a fire. We have also found that our Kelly Kettle is a lovely way to introduce children to fire. You can have a much smaller manageable fire in the base, but it can help to build confidence in dealing with campfires and handling them, before going onto the actual big fire.
Toast Marshmallows
Not many kids can resist toasting marshmallows – this is a sure fire way to get older kids outdoors!
Hammocks
And not many kids will resist hanging about in hammocks! For teens that love to read or listen to music – a hammock is the perfect outdoor accessory! See our Amazon Store for our hammock recommendations.
Wild Activity ideas for teens and tweens
Treasure Trails
Treasure Trails offer great ideas for family adventures, explore places local or far away with these self-guided tours. They are captivating with some tricky clues to keep all ages of kids entertained and involved. Our 9 and 12 year old took the lead for our Rochester Treasure Trail – before we knew it, we’d been walking 2 hours! Find your local Treasure Trail here!
Borrow my Doggy
If you need motivation to get your older kids out on a walk – try borrowing a dog! This great website unites dog lovers with owners who need help walking their dogs – so that dog owners get help when they need it, dogs get more playtime and people without a dog get to spend quality time with one.
Go Ape – Tree Top Adventure
With a variety of treetop adventures and courses for different climbing abilities, Go Ape is the perfect adventure that any tween or teen will find impossible to resist! See our review of Go Ape’s adventures here.
Go Ape
Build a bench Activity
Building a bench is great to stimulate kid’s problem-solving skills. Give kids some string and ask them to: Build a bench that will hold you for 10 seconds using anything you can find in the woods/ outdoors. They have to be able to sit on their bench with their feet off the ground for 10 seconds. There is huge potential in this game and no bench will look like the next one!
Drop the egg experiment
This is a favourite science experiment game! Give your kids an egg and a piece of string and tell them to package that egg up with all the natural materials they can find. Then, they have to drop it from a specific height – high enough that the egg would smash if not properly packaged. This is a scavenger hunt game that is great for team building and communication!
Orienteering
Essentially, orienteering is dump the kids somewhere and then they have to find their way back! If your children like treasure hunts, they should enjoy orienteering. The aim of orienteering is to navigate, in sequence, to different control points that are located on a special course, using a map. A great map learning and geography exercise!
Creating a Zip Wire!
How about creating a zip wire to transport secret packages to your friends? Our 10 and 12 year old had a whole day in the garden creating a zip wire to transport their lunch! Try this Zip Wire kitto create your own zip wire!
Like most kids, my boys love to collect leaves, sticks, stones and all kinds of treasures from the great outdoors. While playing, they often find these special pieces of nature that they want to save so we decided to make a simple nature collection bag craft to give them somewhere to stow all their treasures while they are playing.
I put together a quick printable too for them to use to document their finds. You can download this printable at the end of this post.
To make our nature collection bag, we used a selection of ribbons and felt flower and nature shapes and a plain white paper bag. We stuck everything together using a Bostik Glue Pen
We just laid out everything how we wanted, then used plenty of glue to stick it into place and left it to dry so that everything was stuck on firmly. The bag was so easy to make, and your kids can use whatever decorations and designs you prefer to easily customize it to themselves. You could also try using fabric scraps and Bostik fabric glue.
Just add this free printable, or make your own list, and the kids will be ready to go and find a nature collection outside.
Rainbow Rock Collection
The rainbow rock collection activity will dramatically increase the number of colors you can find in your own back yard. Collect some rocks and make a colorful rainbow!
What You'll Need:
Bag or plastic jar for collection
Glue or duct tape
Poster board
Nature has created hundreds of differently colored rocks. Many of them can be found in your own yard.
When you're feeling ready to explore, see how many different tones you can discover and collect in a single day's geological expedition.
If you want, you can mount the stones on a piece of poster board.
Just for fun, take your poster to a nearby natural history museum or geology professor. Ask why your rock specimens are the color they are. You might be fascinated to discover what chemicals work to give a rock its hue.
Now that you've looked at the different colors of rocks, you can investigate their different shapes with the next activity.
For more fun outdoor activities and kids' crafts, check out:
This rock-rolling experiment totally rocks! Find out if rocks roll faster depending on their shapes.
What You'll Need:
Differently shaped rocks
Hillside
Watch with second hand
Pen and paper
Step 1: Pick six differently-shaped rocks of about the same size and weight. One might be rounded, one might be flat on one side, and one might be almost square or totally flat.
Step 2: One by one, release these rocks at the top of a steep hill and time how long each takes to roll to the bottom. Try to predict which rocks you think will move the fastest before letting them go.
Step 3: Compare your times and see how close your predictions came to being correct.
It's nice to have a small field bag for nature walks — to hold your art supplies and also to bring home any treasures you might find.
An old pair of pants can yield 2, 3, or even half a dozen bags depending on the size. We've made many a field bag from an old pair of jeans. Jack and I made this bag out of an old pair of khaki camo pants he had outgrown.
(Denim and khaki are great materials for a field bag because they are tough, durable, and hold their shape without a lining.)
First, find an old pair of pants. Any size will do!
We thought that knee pocket would make a great detail on the front of Jack's bag.
These back pockets would also make a great bag front. If you are using jeans, you can use the front pocket as the front of your bag and the back pocket for the back!
Mark where you want to cut your fabric, and make sure your sketchbook will fit inside your finished bag!
Right away you'll notice one great thing about making a field bag out of your old clothes — you won't have to sew very much, because you can take advantage of the seams that are already there. We cut this bag out of the middle of one leg, so we sewed the bottom and around the top. If you used the bottom of the leg, and the bottom hem of the leg became the top of your bag, you would only have to sew one seam!
Cut along the marks you made. Since we cut out of the middle of the leg, we now have a tube of fabric.
Turn your material inside-out and sew the bottom seam. We triple-sewed ours for extra strength.
Fold over the top and sew around, making the top seam. You can pin it in a couple of places if you are worried about it moving around on you, but uneven seams give extra character.
Jack really wanted a matching strap, but you could also make the strap out of any old ribbon or woven tape you have in your stash.
We cut a strip of fabric about 2 1/4 inches wide and then used that strap to cut out another.
Since there is no pattern for this project, you don't need to worry about how wide your strap ends up being — there is no right or wrong!
Sew the two long sides of your strap — but not the ends! Because next you need to turn it inside out.
Sew the strap onto the bag! We went back and forth a few times for extra strength. We are expecting this bag to get some heavy outdoor use.
All done! Wasn't that easy? While we were at it, we made another one:
You can decorate your finished bag by sewing on patches, sticking on your favorite pins, embroidering them, or anything else you can think of.
Water activities are a great activity for older kids. Not only will these water activities for kids keep them cool if it’s hot, but they’ll help with swimming skills and improve balance and coordination. Find out how we got on our canoeing adventure!
Outdoor Activity ideas for teens and tweens
Walkie Talkies
You can have loads of fun with walkie talkies – set up secret hide outs and communicate with them – or use them whilst trying out our fun ideas for games to play in the woods!!
Camping
Going camping, even if it’s just for one night is a fun. A new environment, unfamiliar sights and sounds, other kids to meet and play with, a tent to help put up – the bonus of eating outdoors and sleeping under the stars all make for a fun-filled adventure! Camping is the perfect outdoor activity for teens and tweens!
Camping ideas for older kids
Whittling
Whittling or wood carving is the perfect way for creative and crafty kids to reconnect with nature. Whittling is easy to learn, fun to do, and almost everything you need to start your first whittling project is free and right outside your door – which makes it cheap and eco-friendly as well!
Whittling with Kids
Foraging
Children are natural foragers—they love to get outside and search for hidden treasures. Try foraging with your teen as a new outdoor adventure to enjoy! This website is a great start to learn what is safe and any precautions you need to take.
Family Festivals
There are 100′s of family friendly festivals around the UK and most festivals hold a variety of different skills workshops – from art and crafts to dancing and singing to science and nature. There’s something for everyone, festivals can be a great bonding experience with your kids – here’s our family festival favourites!
Some kids don’t need any motivation to go outside and be active, while others are a little harder to convince. Your teen might find drone flying to be their biggest passion, while others would rather go on a forest adventure and climb in the trees. It’s all about experimentation, try lots of things, encourage adventure and your teen or tween will find themselves begging to spend more time outdoors!
Many of us don’t have access to fertile eggs to let our children experience egg candling first hand (including me) so here’s a fun activity that imitates the real thing.
It doesn’t take much to encourage our children’s curiosity in nature and wildlife. There are, of course, ways to enhance those curiosities and adding some mostly inexpensive tools to their backpack will help them to get closer to nature and make exciting wildlife discoveries. What’re the essentials?
Giving your child a camera in a wildlife-rich environment (like a zoo or duck park) allows them to explore the wonders of nature around them, focus on animals they hadn’t noticed before, and develop wildlife appreciation.
Hunting for antlions can be fascinating and by taking the time to watch them you can learn what they eat, how they capture their prey and how they make their trap. But best of all, you can hold them too!
Many parents will point out a colourful butterfly flitting past on its daily pollination rounds, but moths often fly by unnoticed. Why not attract some moths and see how amazing they can really be?
Cloud watching can take five minutes, be done almost anywhere where the sky can be seen and you have the right cloud cover and is a great way to use your imagination in nature.
This is a fun egg hunting activity that teaches children about animals that lay eggs and animals that don’t. You can use if any time or keep it for Easter!
Have you ever blindfolded your child and let them guess food by using only their taste buds? Here’s a new twist. Can your child taste the food and guess the animal it’s associated with?
If, during playtime, your child expresses a desire to help an endangered species, remember that children can inspire great action if given the opportunity!
This is a play-based and snake friendly way to help teach your children to be snake safe. Don’t scare your children to keep them safe, play with them instead!
We may not be on top of the best smellers list but we can still pretend like we are. Kids can have so much fun smelling what’s in the jar and guessing what animal would eat the food.
Visiting a wildlife Art Gallery or exhibition is a wonderful way to get your children out of the house and enjoying an activity they wouldn’t usually explore. Here are some tips to get the most out of your visit
Do you want your holiday to be filled with nature and wildlife galore? Bring along your keen eyes and the objects below and you’re bound to see more than you expected!
Teens are at the age when they begin to think they have quite a bit of knowlwedge about the outside world. So it is fun for them to share their knowledge and interests. Here are a couple of animal books with fun investigations or challenges.
GIVE THEM ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN PREPARING AND PRESENTING THE PLAN- IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE IT GOES SMOOTHLY
Our information and activities about turtles today were inspired by A Place for Turtles by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Higgins Bond, the newest picture book in the A Place For… series. In a sequence of two-page spreads, Stewart explains an environmental threat to turtles and then reveals what humans can do about it. For more details and a complete review, see out sister blog Wrapped in Foil.
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Let’s learn about turtles!
1. What is a turtle? (Identification and classification)
Turtles are reptiles, which means they are cold-blooded, have scaly skin and lay eggs. Some other reptiles are snakes, lizards, and crocodiles. Because they are “cold-blooded” they often bask in the sun to maintain their body temperature.
Turtles are known for their shells or protective outer covering. In hard shelled species, the top shell is called the carapace and the bottom shell is called the plastron.
Many species, like the one in the photograph above, are found in or near freshwater, especially in lakes and ponds.
Sea turtles, such as this Kemp’s Ridley, spend virtually all of their lives in the oceans.
Tortoises are turtles that are not associated with bodies of water. Some species can even survive in hot deserts.
To learn more about how to identify different types of turtles, try a field guide or website. For example, Discover Life has an interactive turtle identification guide. Ocean Ambassadors has an extensive page about turtle biology and how to identify sea turtles.
2.What do turtles eat?
Which of the following do at least some turtles eat?
Jellyfish
Earthworms
Fruit
Leaves of plants
All of the above
If you said all of the above, you are correct. Many turtles eat a variety of foods.
One exception is the desert tortoise. They do best if fed only the leaves and flowers of native plants, such as wildflowers and grasses.
3. Laying eggs
Turtles lay their eggs in nests of loose dirt or sand. Finding a suitable place to lay their eggs can be a difficult and dangerous business for turtles. When turtles lay their eggs on the land they are often vulnerable to predators not found in the water.
Why did the snapping turtle cross the road?
This snapping turtle is in danger of being hit by cars because she is crossing the road to lay her eggs in a bank along the roadside. Perhaps the warm pavement seems like a good place to incubate eggs?
In A Place for Turtles, Melissa Stewart describes how people in Alabama built a fence to keep turtles out of the road.
4. Turtles as pets?
Keeping turtles as pets is being discouraged for a number of reasons.
Secondly, people who don’t realize how much work it is to keep a pet will often dump their unwanted turtles into a nearby park or natural area. This is a problem because the pet store turtles may kill local turtles or infect them with diseases, or the area might simply not be suitable for their survival.
My family recently found a tortoise that had been dumped in a park. It was so cold out that the tortoise couldn’t move. It needed to be in a safe place to prepare for its hibernation, not tossed into a park.
Did you know a desert tortoise may live to be over 100 years old? That is a long time to be responsible for a single pet!
Related Activities:
1. One great way to learn more about turtles is the build a model.
For older children, encourage more elaborate models, like this one using Model Magic. Create an appropriate diorama to study the habitat a particular turtle is found in.
2. Look for citizen science projects involving turtles, like this one in Arizona looking for ornate box turtles, Leatherback Watch in California, or one from the Piedmont Wildlife Center about box turtles.
In another in our series of STEM story times, let’s explore reptile-themed books, learning centers, and activities.
The Books:
To start story time, I began by reading an older picture book from my bookshelf, Lizard in the Sun by Joanne Rider and illustrated by Michael Rothman.
After talking about what reptiles are and visiting the activity stations, we finished with their choice from a pile I provided, Get to Know Gila Monsters(Get To Know Reptiles) by Flora Brett.
STEM Activity Station 1. Lizard in the Sun (Under a lamp)
Explore the concept of “cold-blooded” or ectothermic (having a internal temperature determined by-and-large by the external environment.)
Gather:
Two lizard shapes cut from black construction paper
Small desk lamp
Place one lizard shape directly under the lamp and one at least three feet away, preferably in a shaded or dark area. Have the children compare the temperature of each.
(Older children could record the temperature difference with a thermometer.)
Optional: Added graphic of temperature vs. lizard activity on page 3 from Sonoran Desert Museum’s Leaping Lizard’s handout.
STEM Activity Station 2. Box of Reptiles (Sorting activity)
Gather:
Toy or model reptiles: snakes, alligators, lizards, turtles
Box or bin
A few toy or model animals that are not reptiles: mammals, birds, insects, fish, or frogs
Mix the animals in the box or bin. Prepare a sign that reads: Some animals were put into the box of reptiles by mistake. Can you find the ones that aren’t reptiles and take them out?
STEM Activity Station 3: Senses Learning Station
Gather:
Images of snakes with prominent heat sensing pits (sense heat)
Images of snakes tongues and Jacobson’s organs (smell)
Point out the eyes (sight)
Hearing- although reptiles don’t often have obvious ears, they can hear
Place this station near the lizard in the sun station so can compare how we detect heat with how a snake detects heat.
(I included this station because we had previously learned about human senses).
STEM Activity Station 4: Make a macaroni snake craft (fine motor skills)
Gather:
Chenille stems (pipecleaners)
White glue
Pasta shells
Penne (red lentil for color)
Marker
Red craft foam cut into tongue shape (Y)
Make a loop in one end of the chenille stem to form the head. Feed the penne onto the chenille stem to cover the body. Bend the end back to hold the penne on. Add eyes to a pasta shell and slip over the head loop. Glue into place (do this after the body so it doesn’t get dislodged). Glue on the tongue. Allow glue to set before playing with the snakes.
If you’ve never experienced one of the Young Naturalists series books from Chicago Review Press, you are in for a real treat. These books are designed not only for children who are independent researchers interested in a topic — in this case amphibians — but also for educators who need information and age-appropriate activity ideas for science lessons.
Lisa Amstutz’s text covers everything readers will want to know:
What an amphibian is
What animals belong to the different families
Amphibian anatomy
What amphibians eat
Their life cycles
Some of the threats to amphibians
And much more!
It is also filled with amazing facts. Did you know that the North American wood frog can survive being frozen solid? How about that some amphibians can absorb water from moist soil by sitting on it because they have specially absorptive skin on their bellies? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to drink that way?
The activities (30 of them!) will keep young scientists engaged for hours. They range from making fake frog eggs from water beads to making your yard more toad friendly.
The quality of stock photographs, however, is determined by the person curating them and in this case the photographs are the highest standard, well-matched to the text and to each other.
The back matter is a treasure trove filled with goodies such as a table of the different amphibian orders, lists of resources, and a teacher’s guide with even more ideas for activities. The activities encourage the type of hands-on learning that develops fine motor skills so useful later in life. They also reinforce learning. Let’s face it, touching a fake frog egg made out of a water bead engages more senses than simply reading about eggs on the page.
The bottom line is Amazing Amphibians is an exceptionally well organized and well written introduction to a fascinating group of animals. It is perfect for young naturalists and scientists. It is also a must-have resource for educators. Investigate a copy today!
Related Activities:
Not that a book loaded with oodles of hands-on activities needs any more, but let’s celebrate Amazing Amphibians by making a tiny book about frogs, toads, and salamanders to share with younger children.
Today we are featuring a lovely STEM picture book that has made many of the best of 2020 lists, The Nest That Wren Built by Randi Sonenshine and illustrated by Anne Hunter.
This gently rhyming book about Carolina wrens building a nest follows the style of “The House That Jack Built.”
This is the bark, snippets of twine, spidery rootlets, and needles of pine that shape the nest that Wren built.
The text goes into detail about how the wrens gather materials to make the nest. Some of the ingredients are expected, like soft moss for a lining the inside. Others are very surprising, like draping a snakeskin on the outside (to ward off predators). After the nest is built, the story follows the eggs and baby birds through development.
Anne Hunter’s illustrations are a fascinating combination of whimsical and realistic. Young readers will have fun looking for little things hidden in each page.
The back matter includes a glossary and additional interesting facts about wrens.
The Nest That Wren Built will enchant nature lovers, especially budding ornithologists. Surprise yourself with a copy today.
Related STEM activities:
1. Child-sized Bird’s Nest
Let your young makers assemble their own child-sized bird nest. (This is best as an outdoor activity, although some of the materials could be used inside.)
Gather materials to create nests, using items you can recycle or compost. Here are some suggestions:
Cardboard strips
Hay or straw (pet supply or craft stores)
Grapevines (craft stores)
Shredded paper
Fallen leaves
Branches
Show the children some photographs of nests or the real thing if there are some nearby. Always leave the nests where you found them. Even if they are empty, birds can reuse the nesting materials.
This one fell out of a tree after a wind storm:
Talk about some of the reasons birds build nests.
Place to raise young
Shelter from adverse weather
Place to rest
Now have the children build their own human-sized nest. They can work in groups. Young children may need some adult assistance. Be prepared for messy fun.
Note: If you are working with a number of children, they may remove materials from the nests of others. Decide how you want to deal with this in advance. I told them that birds in nature really do take materials from other birds’ nests. Eventually they decided to leave one member of a group in the nest while the others went to gather supplies, just how birds sometimes handle the problem.
Make sure you have your camera ready. You will find there are many creative ways to make nests. Take pictures of your “birds” sitting in their nests.
Disclosure: This book was provided by our local library. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.
What do you notice when you see the owl on the cover of the new nonfiction picture book Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls by Annette Whipple? Maybe the huge eyes? What do you think of? The sound they make? Have you ever seen an owl in real life?
The book starts out with these observations and a stirring question:
“You recognize an owl when you hear or see one, but do you really know these birds?”
From there, each double-page spread features gorgeous color photographs with text in a question and answer format. You will find out what owl’s eat, how they hunt, whether they sleep during the day, where they live, and what’s up with owl pellets. My favorite questions was whether owls can spin their heads around. Do you know the answer?
The formatting is super engaging, with eye-catching design elements and fun dialogue bubbles with cool facts. Great for visual learners.
Here at Growing With Science, we love back matter and the book does not disappoint. There’s a section on how to help owls, explanation of owl anatomy, owl pellet dissection discussion, and a glossary. The hardcover version even includes an Owl Superpowers poster, which you can see at Annette’s website.
Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls is nonfiction at its best. It will obviously appeal to young birdwatchers and nature lovers, but also to anyone interested in the world around them. Reading it will make you wiser <wink>.
Note for sensitive young readers: Owls eat small rodents and the book contains pretty graphic photographs of that natural process. There’s also a close up of an owl pellet.
This book is part of The Truth About series. Annette tells us there’s Woof! The Truth About Dogs and another untitled book about spiders coming next year.
Related Activities:
Owl pellet dissection
We previously talked about owl pellets when we reviewed Melissa Stewart’s Bird-acious, a book that comes with an actual owl pellet attached to the cover (see post).
2. Write an Owl Story
Have you ever seen an owl in real life? Write a short story about what you saw and how it made you feel. Do some research and learn more about them to add details to your story. Need help? Check Annette’s website for a lesson about the writing process.
If you post your story online, please leave a link in the comments.
For example:
One snowy day while cross-country skiing at a nature preserve in South Dakota, I passed a thicket of pine trees, dark green against the wintry white. A brownish blur passed in front of my face. It was an owl, flying. The stillness of the snow, the peacefulness of the setting, the silence of the owl in flight have all stayed in my mind since that day.
Other owls we have encountered:
We sometimes see small owls called burrowing owls here in Arizona. Because they nest in animal burrows, which have become rare, conservationists have started making artificial tunnels for them to nest in.
What do you think these owls are doing?
Time to grab those binoculars and meet your bird neighbors!
Today we are featuring a lovely STEM picture book that has made many of the best of 2020 lists, The Nest That Wren Built by Randi Sonenshine and illustrated by Anne Hunter.
This gently rhyming book about Carolina wrens building a nest follows the style of “The House That Jack Built.”
This is the bark, snippets of twine, spidery rootlets, and needles of pine that shape the nest that Wren built.
The text goes into detail about how the wrens gather materials to make the nest. Some of the ingredients are expected, like soft moss for a lining the inside. Others are very surprising, like draping a snakeskin on the outside (to ward off predators). After the nest is built, the story follows the eggs and baby birds through development.
Anne Hunter’s illustrations are a fascinating combination of whimsical and realistic. Young readers will have fun looking for little things hidden in each page.
The back matter includes a glossary and additional interesting facts about wrens.
The Nest That Wren Built will enchant nature lovers, especially budding ornithologists. Surprise yourself with a copy today.
Related STEM activities:
1. Child-sized Bird’s Nest
Let your young makers assemble their own child-sized bird nest. (This is best as an outdoor activity, although some of the materials could be used inside.)
Gather materials to create nests, using items you can recycle or compost. Here are some suggestions:
Cardboard strips
Hay or straw (pet supply or craft stores)
Grapevines (craft stores)
Shredded paper
Fallen leaves
Branches
Show the children some photographs of nests or the real thing if there are some nearby. Always leave the nests where you found them. Even if they are empty, birds can reuse the nesting materials.
This one fell out of a tree after a wind storm:
Talk about some of the reasons birds build nests.
Place to raise young
Shelter from adverse weather
Place to rest
Now have the children build their own human-sized nest. They can work in groups. Young children may need some adult assistance. Be prepared for messy fun.
Note: If you are working with a number of children, they may remove materials from the nests of others. Decide how you want to deal with this in advance. I told them that birds in nature really do take materials from other birds’ nests. Eventually they decided to leave one member of a group in the nest while the others went to gather supplies, just how birds sometimes handle the problem.
Make sure you have your camera ready. You will find there are many creative ways to make nests. Take pictures of your “birds” sitting in their nests.
Disclosure: This book was provided by our local library. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.
What do you notice when you see the owl on the cover of the new nonfiction picture book Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls by Annette Whipple? Maybe the huge eyes? What do you think of? The sound they make? Have you ever seen an owl in real life?
The book starts out with these observations and a stirring question:
“You recognize an owl when you hear or see one, but do you really know these birds?”
From there, each double-page spread features gorgeous color photographs with text in a question and answer format. You will find out what owl’s eat, how they hunt, whether they sleep during the day, where they live, and what’s up with owl pellets. My favorite questions was whether owls can spin their heads around. Do you know the answer?
The formatting is super engaging, with eye-catching design elements and fun dialogue bubbles with cool facts. Great for visual learners.
Here at Growing With Science, we love back matter and the book does not disappoint. There’s a section on how to help owls, explanation of owl anatomy, owl pellet dissection discussion, and a glossary. The hardcover version even includes an Owl Superpowers poster, which you can see at Annette’s website.
Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls is nonfiction at its best. It will obviously appeal to young birdwatchers and nature lovers, but also to anyone interested in the world around them. Reading it will make you wiser <wink>.
Note for sensitive young readers: Owls eat small rodents and the book contains pretty graphic photographs of that natural process. There’s also a close up of an owl pellet.
This book is part of The Truth About series. Annette tells us there’s Woof! The Truth About Dogs and another untitled book about spiders coming next year.
Related Activities:
Owl pellet dissection
We previously talked about owl pellets when we reviewed Melissa Stewart’s Bird-acious, a book that comes with an actual owl pellet attached to the cover (see post).
2. Write an Owl Story
Have you ever seen an owl in real life? Write a short story about what you saw and how it made you feel. Do some research and learn more about them to add details to your story. Need help? Check Annette’s website for a lesson about the writing process.
If you post your story online, please leave a link in the comments.
For example:
One snowy day while cross-country skiing at a nature preserve in South Dakota, I passed a thicket of pine trees, dark green against the wintry white. A brownish blur passed in front of my face. It was an owl, flying. The stillness of the snow, the peacefulness of the setting, the silence of the owl in flight have all stayed in my mind since that day.
Other owls we have encountered:
We sometimes see small owls called burrowing owls here in Arizona. Because they nest in animal burrows, which have become rare, conservationists have started making artificial tunnels for them to nest in.
What do you think these owls are doing?
What about this great horned owl? I saw it in a cottonwood tree early one morning. We often hear them calling softly to each other just before dawn.
3. Interested in birds in general? Consider joining the Audubon’s 121st Christmas Bird Count which runs from Monday, December 14, 2020 through Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Details at their website.
4. Read more books about birds.
We have a growing list of excellent children’s books about birds at Science Books for Kids.
What about this great horned owl? I saw it in a cottonwood tree early one morning. We often hear them calling softly to each other just before dawn.
3. Interested in birds in general? Consider joining the Audubon’s 121st Christmas Bird Count which runs from Monday, December 14, 2020 through Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Details at their website.
4. Read more books about birds.
We have a growing list of excellent children’s books about birds at Science Books for Kids.
I was looking for a place for lunch and a break in our drive when I discovered the Adirondacks Wild ... READ MORE
45 Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Projects and Activities
The whole world is one big science classroom.
Take advantage of warm sunny days and head outside for some STEM learning. These outdoor science experiments cover a wide range of topics, from electricity to chemistry and everything in between. Most require only simple materials, so any teacher or family can give them a try!
1. Explode a DIY seed pod
Find out how some plants spread their seeds far and wide with this cool balloon experiment. Fill it with seeds along with air, then pop it outside on a breezy day and watch the seeds fly!
This is the kind of experiment that simply has to be done outdoors. Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.
Food waste is a big problem, contributing to much of the material that winds up in landfills. Teach kids how to compost with kitchen scraps in a plastic bottle, and use the compost to feed your plants.
This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration is sure to excite your students! You only need simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand, but the element of fire makes this experiment best done outdoors.
Climate change can be a contentious topic, so start by teaching kids about the greenhouse effect, which is easy to see and understand using this simple experiment. Then, urge them to explore data collected by other scientists so they can learn to make informed decisions about topics like global warming.
This outdoor science project is similar to building a battery from a lemon, but you also get to dig in the dirt! Kids learn about electric currents and conductivity.
We slather kids in sunscreen when they’re playing outside, but do they understand why? Try this fun little experiment, which demonstrates how sunscreen protects from the sun’s harmful rays.
Fun fact: Pinecones open and close according to the weather in order to protect or disperse the seeds inside. Use that fact to your advantage and create a pinecone weather station in your backyard.
Explore the power of water with a cool homemade LEGO water course that includes a dam and a water wheel. This engineering project is fun to play with when you’re done!
A simple adapter kit allows you to turn an empty plastic bottle into a soaring rocket! Kids learn about pressure and Newton’s third law of motion with this perennially popular outside science project.
This DIY microscope isn’t very powerful, but it does magnify small objects so you can see details. It’s also really simple to make. (Looking for a stronger microscope you can take on the go? Try this portable model that hooks up to your cell phone.)
You’ll need to buy special paper for this outdoor science project, but it’s easy to find. Kids will love creating their own patterns and experimenting to find which objects work best.
It’s easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to blow the longest-lasting bubbles with this fun outside science activity.
Once you’ve blown the longest-lasting bubbles, move on to creating the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.
Young kids will simply adore building this basic catapult and watching ping pong balls soar! Older kids can experiment by changing the position of the fulcrum, the length of the board, and the objects being flung.
Give your nature walk more direction by giving students specific items to seek out. You can make your own boards, or hit the link below for free printables for every season.
Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected on windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.
Nature journals are a great way to partner writing and outdoor science, while building kids’ observational skills along the way. You can use any sturdy notebook or check out the link below for free printable journal pages and a fun DIY carry-along journal project.
Use recycled materials to create “seed bombs.” Then plant them in the schoolyard or send kids home to use them in their own gardens. Students learn about ecology, recycling, and plant life cycles.
24. Experiment with limestone rocks
Kids love to pick up rocks, and there are plenty of great science experiments you can do with them. In this one, you pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!
Use a cell phone to snap pictures of everything you find on a nature walk, then report those sightings to Project Noah. This citizen science project is dedicated to documenting every living thing on Earth! (Teachers, get ideas for using Project Noah in your classroom here.)
All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.
This simple project demonstrates how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration. The supplies and method are simple enough for anyone to try it.
28. Swing a glass of water to learn about centripetal force
When you do this experiment right, you won’t make a mess at all. But, while kids are still getting the hang of swinging glasses of water around their heads, you’ll probably want to make this an outdoor science activity.
Take kids outdoors to use their five senses with this free printable scavenger hunt activity. They’ll hone their observation skills and learn so much about the world around them.
You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their population alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful bugs by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.
Your students might know you can count tree rings to find out how old the tree is, but do they know why that’s true? Explore dendrochronology using this free printable as a guide.
Have you ever noticed that birds can be difficult to spot, even though signs of them are all around? This free printable scavenger hunt helps you find evidence that birds live nearby. Just look for nests and food sources and listening for their sounds.
Some birds are easy to identify, but others stump even long-time bird-watchers. Use the free Merlin Bird ID app to help you out! Snap a pic, answer a few questions, and the app will provide you some probable identifications, just like that.
Choose a sunny day and grab some sidewalk chalk—your students are about to become sundials! They’ll practice measuring skills and learn about the movement of the sun across the sky.
Wind turbines have become common sights in some parts of the country as we explore alternative energy sources. Build your own to learn how they work with this outdoor science experiment.
Kids work in pairs to estimate the height of a tree in this project that puts the M in STEM. Get a free printable at the link below to walk you through the process.
Kids can entertain themselves for hours with a big empty cardboard box. Channel that energy by turning a box into a place to learn about light refraction and reflection, using colored water in plastic bottles.
Here’s another experiment using the classic baking powder and vinegar reaction. This one uses it to power these cute little DIY boats! A kiddie pool is the perfect spot for this outside science project.
Here’s another classic science project that’s best done outdoors—the egg drop. Challenge kids to engineer a container that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).
Head out to the playground, gather up a variety of objects, and hold races to see which ones make it down the slide first. This is a fun introduction to friction and inclined planes.
Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.
Once you’ve “cleaned up” your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is! Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what’s in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Student water testing kits are readily available online—try this set available on Amazon.
Backpacking – You are starting to get excited about this new adventure that lies ahead. But before you go on any backcountry trip, take the advice of fellow outdoor adventurers. We asked other backpackers to share practical tips they wish they’d known before starting out. To make sure your first backpacking trip is a success, we share those tips here.
Packing up everything you need for a multi-day hike can be intimidating and overwhelming for beginners, especially if you don’t know what to expect. Take note of the tips and tricks that suit you best and add them to your own backpacking routine.
16 Practical Tips For Your First Backpacking Trip
Listen to your body – If there is one thing I wish someone had told me before my first backpacking trip, it would be to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I didn’t learn this until after the first few hours of my hike and it could have not made a bigger difference in my comfort level.
Backpacking is physically demanding – you are carrying everything you will need on your back for 4-5 days. For beginners, look for a hike that is moderate rather than difficult so your pack can remain manageable. Get more advice here on how to perfect your hiking pace with strength exercises.
Take it easy – Take your time while backpacking in the wild. Hiking is a sport, and while you want to make it to your destination as soon as possible, rushing will only get you injured or lost. Plus it will take you places you have never been before, especially if it’s your first trip. Be prepared to see things that might be worth stopping for! If you are too focused on just getting to the campsite, you could miss them.
Research ahead of time – You should always do research your trip beforehand. That means reading about the trail and the destination, asking other adventurists about their experience, and of course, making sure that the trail is well-marked.
Start Close to Home – Until you are experienced, you should not venture too far from where you are staying. It’s best to choose easier hikes closer to home and build up your stamina.
Navigation – Bring a map and compass if you have to, especially when navigating in mountains or hard-to-read terrain. This is a must for beginners, as you never want to get lost.
Start slow – As beginning backpackers, it’s a good idea to start taking day trips and short overnights before heading into the backcountry for a longer trip. A good goal for a beginner backpacker/hiker is 5-6 miles per day. You can do this with friends or family to get used to your gear before you go out on your own.
Buddy System – Sometimes, it is better to go backpacking with someone else so that you will have company in case something happens. Two pairs of eyes are always better than one, right?
Pack it in, Pack it out – Never leave anything behind – One of the most important things about going backpacking is leaving no trace. What I mean is taking everything with you that you take down the trail with you. This means not only your own garbage but also other people’s garbage too! Tryto encourage others to adhere to this rule as well.
Campfire – A campfire is a great way to spend the evenings, especially on your first backpacking trip. However, you should always be considerate of the people around you and never leave your fire unattended. Also, check with the park ranger about any specific rules for fires in that area.
Come Prepared – The old saying goes, “It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it”. Bring the 15 backpacking essentialsin case anything happens. This includes things like water purifiers, first aid kit, sunscreen, flashlights/headlamp, etc. Always test your equipment before going backpacking.
Be Weather Aware – Don’t forget your rain jacket! Even if the forecast doesn’t call for rain, it is always a good idea to bring one. You never know when things might change and you will be much more comfortable in wet conditions than in hot conditions. Before leaving on your trip, check the weather along the route. This should be a priority so you can pack accordingly.
Pack only what you need – First of all, leave the kitchen sink at home! You don’t need everything in your house to go backpacking. Only pack items that are essential for you and your trip. Try to include lightweight versions of those things as well if it’s not too extreme.
Bring Toilet Paper – A small amount of toilet paper is always better than not bringing any at all! You never know when you might need it, so just bring some in your backpack.
Bear Country – It’s important that you listen carefully to what people living in bear country tell you about where and how to hike safely. Most of these areas require hikers to carry bear spray, which you can learn how to use with the right training.
Practice, Practice, Practice – One last thing. Practice with all pieces of gear at home before taking them on the trail. When deciding what pieces of gear you’ll actually bring, opt for lightweight items that still allow you to remain comfortable. For example, instead of bringing a bulky camping chair that weighs several ounces, bring a lightweight tarp that will provide the same comfort under your rear end while remaining just as portable.
Ready, Set, Go! – Once you have all your things packed and ready to go, it’s time to go hiking! Make sure to take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the view. Don’t forget your camera; we’re making memories here! Now let’s go exploring!
I hope you found these backpacking tips for beginners helpful. Do you have any additional advice for someone getting ready for their hike multi-day trip? Share it in the comments below if you do.
Trees with huge trunks sometime have huge holes, making them great for exploring. We even have hollow trees at a few of our places, perfect for adventurers. Watch out for insects and wildlife though - lots of things like to live in the holes of trees, so you might end up sharing.
There are different things that you can look for when on the trail of an animal or bird. Keep an eye out for footprints, feathers, fur and poo and you might find something sooner than you think.
Are you brave enough to hold a mini beast? Perhaps a spider, worm, woodlice or a beetle? If you are, then you'll have ticked off another challenge off your list. Remember that you're a giant compared to the creature, so be gentle, and put it back in its home once you've held it.
To become a champion crabber you’ll need a net, some bait and a bucket of water. See if you can catch the most commonly found variety known as the shore crab, or try and spot the more elusive spider crab. Just remember to put anything you catch back where you found it afterwards. Crabs have busy lives too, you know.
If you can stay awake when it's dark then it's the perfect time to spot (and listen to) creatures that only come out at night. Take a torch but only use it if you really need to as animals can see much better than you in the dark. Pipistrelle bats roost in holes in old trees and feed at night
If you can find somewhere quiet to sit, watch and wait for birds then you'll be spotting them before you know it. Make sure you don't frighten them off, birds get spooked pretty easily.
A snag is a dead tree that is still standing. Of course, a tree does many good things when it is alive. But after it dies, it can be just as important for wildlife.
by Kate Hofmann; Art by Debbie Palen
Here are some animals that don’t think snags are a drag at all:
Tree squirrels, flying squirrels, and raccoons that make cozy nests inside hollow parts of the tree.
Bats that rest underneath the loose bark.
Butterflies, moths, treefrogs, and other small animals that hide in holes and under bark.
Beetles and other insects that tunnel into the soft, rotting wood to lay their eggs.
Woodpeckers that eat the insects and carve out holes for their nests.
Birds such as owls, wrens, bluebirds, and wood ducks that move into woodpeckers’ holes after they move out.
Eagles, ospreys, herons, and owls that build nests atop snags.
Flycatchers, kingfishers, and birds of prey that use snags as perches and look-outs when hunting.
SPOT A SNAG! Next time you’re in a forest, in a field, or near water, keep an eye out for snags. Use the checklist below to describe what you discover about each.
Animals using the snag: What kinds do you see? How are they using it?
State of the snag: Is it sturdy, or do you think it will soon fall?
Fallen logs: These may have been snags once. Look on, in, and under the log for more animals.
New trees: Tree seeds sprout, take root, and grow in the rich soil formed when logs rot away.
Snags may be dead, but don’t be fooled—they are full of life!
Geocaching—Trending across the USA
An Outdoor Treasure Hunt That Anyone Can Try Anytime
By Christen Smith on Jun. 15, 2020
Hiking any trails is fun to do in any season, but if you’re looking to add a new twist to your next adventure, consider Geocaching. Remember to adhere to social distancing guidelines when you head out!
Simply put, geocaching is a treasure hunt. It’s the activity of hunting for, and finding, a hidden object by using GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates that are posted on the Geocaching website. The game is completely free, and you can download the Geocaching app to most smart phones, or you can purchase a hand-held GPS device to help you find hidden geocaches. Once you have the app or a GPS device, you can start finding hidden geocaches anywhere around the world!
My husband and I – we call ourselves Chapin Street Couple – have found over 900 geocaches, so we consider ourselves pretty darn good at geocaching. The first step to becoming a geocacher – or “cacher” as the pros call themselves – is to go to the Geocaching website, register yourself and pick a screen name.
HERE ARE A FEW MORE TIPS ANY NEW CACHER SHOULD KNOW:
Use Your Senses Your hand-held device will get you close to a hidden geocache, but when you get within 5 feet or so, put down your phone or GPS, and use your eyes and mind to carefully look for the hidden cache. It’s an amazing feeling to come actually discover a cache!
Bring a Pen Nearly every geocache has some sort of “log” book inside, so you’ll want to bring along a pen so you can sign it. You’ll date the log as well – it’s proof you found it, and tells the geocaching world you were there!
Write Great Online Logs After you sign the log book inside the geocache, you still need to sign the log online at the Geocaching website. We tend to do it as soon as we make a find so we don’t forget! Geocache owners and other geocachers love to read about your experience, so take a minute to write something unique to your adventure.
Move “Trackables” Along A “trackable” is a piece that moves from geocache to geocache. If you find one, don’t hang onto it. Keep it moving! Trackables have a code on them that you can record online so the owner can identify where the piece is at it moves from cache to cache. The item becomes a “hitchhiker” of sorts that is carried from cache to cache (or person to person) in the real world and you can follow its progress online.
Swag Items Can be Swapped “Swag” items are little toys or trinkets that are in a geocache that can be swapped and traded. They don’t have any sort of trackable code on them, so if you see something you like, go ahead and take it. But a good geocacher usually has something to leave behind in its place.
Cache In Trash Out Be kind to the environment, and make sure to Cache In Trash Out (CITO) when you geocache. In other words, pick up litter along the way and don’t leave anything behind.
Beware of “Muggles” “Muggle” is the term for a non-geocacher. “Muggled” usually refers to the discovery of a geocache by a nongeocacher, and it means it was dismantled or destroyed by an unsuspecting non-player. Those who are geocaching want to “tread lightly” around muggles and use stealth when looking for a cache in a high muggle area.
Put the Geocache Back Where You Found It You want the next geocacher to have the same great experience you had, so make sure you put the geocache back where and how you found it. The geocache owner placed that geocache there at a specific location for a reason, so you want to make sure you respect that.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be sure to have lots of fun, and you’ll probably even meet great people along the way.
One more tip… a few things to keep on hand when you head out for your first adventure:
GPS unit and extra batteries (or a fully charged smart phone)
Rivers are an important part of the water cycle and act as drainage channels for the Earth’s land surface. They also carry water and nutrients, providing food and drink for animals. While for us, they additionally provide transportation routes for exploration and recreation. All this makes them prime learning resources for kids. Contrast these learning activities to those about the oceans of the world to further the understanding!
10 ACTIVITIES FOR WILD RIVERS AND LAKES
We know the importance of lakes and rivers to our planet, meaning it is crucial we take care of them. Through hands on activities, kids will develop a care and concern for our bodies of water.
Pan for gold! Head out to a river with an old mesh strainer and see what you can find in the water. Discuss the gold rush and how miners discovered fortune in the rivers.
Make a waterscope from recycled materials. (Or purchase one on Amazon) It provides kids with the chance to look underwater.
Learn about frogs! Catch a Frog for observation then teach your kids about the frog life cycle and the species of frogs found in fresh water all over the world.
Kids will develop a love and concern for protecting our fresh water sources through crafts, hands on games and fun learning.
We have three boys and a river in our backyard. We can tell you that kayaking is an enjoyable and affordable adventure sport. Getting started is very simple.
With the right kayak for their age, kids can learn to maneuver a kayak in just a few minutes. It is ridiculously easy for them to figure it out. The new sit-on-top kayaks are even easy enough for a five-year-old to use. You don't have to be an experienced kayaker yourself to get your kids into kayaking either.
With the confidence of the right life jacket, choosing appropriate calm water, a day with good weather (including no wind) and the right beginner kayak, your kid will be paddling away faster than you can keep up.
We were a family with a canoe and multiple stand-up paddle boards the first time we put our 9-year-old and 8-year-old on a sit-on-top kayak. After about sixty second of "How do I steer this thing?!" and a few basic lines of instruction from us they were off looking for turtles and have never looked back.
How old does my kid need to be to start kayaking?
I am not exaggerating that a 5-year-old is old enough for their first kayak. Here is a great video of a five-year-old trying a sit-on-top kayak for the first time.
I'm sure there are some 4-year-olds who would also be ready, but the suggested age on the smallest sit-on-top kayak we purchased said "5 and up" so I'm going to stick with that as the technical answer. However, our 3-year-old takes a ride on the back of that kayak as well with his older brothers who are both under the age of ten. Neighbor kids and friends have been on the kayaks with us, and they range from 5 to 11 years old. None of them had ever kayaked before, and they all picked it up very quickly.
How will kayaking help my kid?
It has been so beneficial for mine. Just for starters, it gets them out of the house, and I think that is a considerable benefit already. It builds strength and endurance. It gets kids out exploring in nature. And my favorite reason of all is that kayaking gives kids independence and adventure.
We live on a mill pond off of a calm river. There are houses on one side of the river, a nature area on the other, a park at the end of the pond (about a half mile away) and even a small nature preserve island to explore in the middle (as you can see, it would have been ridiculous if we had not bought our kids kayaks).
Our kids explore up and down the sides of the riverbank. They are looking for turtles and frogs. They have life jackets on. I am somewhere within visual distance of them on my paddle board while my husband and toddler are in the canoe having their own scenic adventure together. The two older boys get to be "on their own" in their kayaks.
For years they sat in the canoe with us, and it was fun, but NOTHING like what happened when we put them in a kayak and let them loose. We gave them something a thousand times more valuable than the canoe ride: the ability to explore on their own.
Freedom to explore is something that most of us were able to do as kids depending on which part of the country we grew up in, but it is rare (threatening extinction even) for most kids today.
A little autonomy is worth a million dollars in a child's development in my opinion. It gives them confidence and teaches them perseverance.
Is kayaking safe for kids?
Yes, kayaking is safe for kids as long as they have the right kind of life jacket on (and you do too) and you go to an appropriate body of water (calm - think pond, marsh, calm river, or small lake) on a day that has suitable weather. You should be within a safe distance of your kids as they learn. Bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, and a whistle your child can blow if they need your help. (To read a post I wrote about which type of life jacket is best for your new kayaker, click here.)
The kayak we started with is literally unsinkable, which gave me (and my kids) a lot of confidence to go for it. The sit-on-top kayaks can't get water inside them or sink. My kids love to hop off into the water and swim around and then climb back onto their kayaks - that's how stable they are.
Of course, anything can be unsafe if we put kids (or ourselves) in situations above our experience level. Your kids should be on calm waters, with life jackets on, and should go out in good weather (avoid windy days when they are first getting started). You should avoid going very far on the first few outings until you know how much they can handle. Take it slow. They are beginners, so don't do anything questionable. Keep it simple and make it fun.
Our little pond has provided us with hundreds of hours of outside time exploring. When starting out with very young kids, stay away from rivers with a strong current, open ocean, and large lakes (think whitecaps).
On our lazy river mill pond, I have found kayaking with my kids to be extremely safe, even for my 3-year-old (who occasionally enjoys catching a ride with his brothers).
Interestingly, where we live (busy, narrow, winding Connecticut roads with low visibility), I feel much safer letting my kids kayak all over our pond then I do having them go out riding on their bikes. There is such a peaceful feeling when we are out on the water, and everything is calm and slow moving.
Even though my kids are far from ready for more advanced kayaking at this point, I feel that this young start on calm waters is a hugely valuable, just-right adventure for them for their ages and abilities.
Do kayaks tip over easily?
Sit-on-top kayaks are difficult to tip over. You are not able to sink one even if you tried.
Sit-inside kayaks are also much more stable than you would imagine because you are sitting so low it also makes your center of gravity very low also (but yes, it is possible to tip a sit-inside kayak over).
In a canoe, you sit higher up on a seat, or you kneel, but with a kayak, you are sitting in the bottom of the kayak. Unless you take your kids whitewater kayaking (which you are not going to right now!), it is unlikely your kids will tip over on calm waters unless they are trying very hard to.
With a sit-on-top kayak, even if your kids fall into the water (or jump in the water), they will have a life jacket on, and it will all be part of the fun. On calm waters, kids can have a lot of freedom to just have fun without any unnecessary stress.
Getting thoroughly wet is often part of the fun on a hot day out on the water, but it is also optional when kayaking. With a sit-inside kayak, you can stay completely dry generally, while you will get a bit wet paddling a sit-on-top kayak.
What are the basics I need to buy to get my kid started kayaking?
We ordered our first kid kayak from Amazon (it included a paddle) and came a few days later. You should have seen the look on their faces when the kids came home from school and saw the kayak leaning against the front door! Many kid kayaks come with a paddle, otherwise, yes you would need to purchase a paddle too. There are more fun accessories you can look into later, but for now, a kayak, a paddle, and a life jacket are all you need to begin!
If you enjoy spending time in a kayak but feel like all the paddling is draining too much energy, perhaps it’s time to get a pedal kayak. By allowing you to use your feet, a pedal kayak will give your arms a rest and keep them free for other things like taking photos or holding fishing rods.
We’ll review the absolute best pedal kayaks on the market, perfect for any activity from fishing to exploring the seashore. Getting one of these will change the way you look at kayaking, making you fall in love with the water even more.
Onion (Allium) cells in different phases of the cell cycle. Growth in an 'organism' is carefully controlled by regulating the cell cycle.
This field encompasses a diverse set of disciplines that examines phenomena related to living organisms. The scale of study can range from sub-component biophysics up to complex ecologies. Biology is concerned with the characteristics, classification and behaviors of organisms, as well as how species were formed and their interactions with each other and the environment.
The biological fields of botany, zoology, and medicine date back to early periods of civilization, while microbiology was introduced in the 17th century with the invention of the microscope. However, it was not until the 19th century that biology became a unified science. Once scientists discovered commonalities between all living things, it was decided they were best studied as a whole.
Modern biology is divided into subdisciplines by the type of organism and by the scale being studied. Molecular biology is the study of the fundamental chemistry of life, while cellular biology is the examination of the cell; the basic building block of all life. At a higher level, anatomy and physiology look at the internal structures, and their functions, of an organism, while ecology looks at how various organisms interrelate.
Although mining and precious stones have been human interests throughout the history of civilization, the development of the related sciences of economic geology and mineralogy did not occur until the 18th century. The study of the earth, particularly paleontology, blossomed in the 19th century. The growth of other disciplines, such as geophysics, in the 20th century, led to the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s, which has had a similar effect on the Earth sciences as the theory of evolution had on biology. Earth sciences today are closely linked to petroleum and mineral resources, climate research and to environmental assessment and remediation.
Although sometimes considered in conjunction with the earth sciences, due to the independent development of its concepts, techniques, and practices and also the fact of it having a wide range of sub-disciplines under its wing, atmospheric science is also considered a separate branch of natural science. This field studies the characteristics of different layers of the atmosphere from ground level to the edge of the space. The timescale of the study also varies from day to century. Sometimes the field also includes the study of climatic patterns on planets other than earth.[citation needed]
The serious study of oceans began in the early- to the mid-20th century. As a field of natural science, it is relatively young but stand-alone programs offer specializations in the subject. Though some controversies remain as to the categorization of the field under earth sciences, interdisciplinary sciences, or as a separate field in its own right, most modern workers in the field agree that it has matured to a state that it has its own paradigms and practices.
Planetary science or planetology, is the scientific study of planets, which include terrestrial planets like the Earth, and other types of planets, such as gas giants other celestial bodies, such as moons, asteroids, and comets. This largely includes the Solar System, but recently has started to expand to exoplanets, particularly terrestrial exoplanets. It explores various objects, spanning from micrometeoroids to gas giants, with the objective of establishing their composition, movements, genesis, interrelation, and past. Planetary science is an interdisciplinary domain, having originated from astronomy and Earth science, and currently encompassing a multitude of areas, such as planetary geology, cosmochemistry, atmospheric science, physics, oceanography, hydrology, theoretical planetary science, glaciology, and exoplanetology. Related fields encompass space physics, which delves into the impact of the Sun on the bodies in the Solar System, and astrobiology.
This structural formula for molecule caffeine shows a graphical representation of how the atoms are arranged.
Constituting the scientific study of matter at the atomic and molecular scale, chemistry deals primarily with collections of atoms, such as gases, molecules, crystals, and metals. The composition, statistical properties, transformations, and reactions of these materials are studied. Chemistry also involves understanding the properties and interactions of individual atoms and molecules for use in larger-scale applications.
Most chemical processes can be studied directly in a laboratory, using a series of (often well-tested) techniques for manipulating materials, as well as an understanding of the underlying processes. Chemistry is often called "the central science" because of its role in connecting the other natural sciences.
Early experiments in chemistry had their roots in the system of Alchemy, a set of beliefs combining mysticism with physical experiments. The science of chemistry began to develop with the work of Robert Boyle, the discoverer of gas, and Antoine Lavoisier, who developed the theory of the Conservation of mass.
Physics embodies the study of the fundamental constituents of the universe, the forces and interactions they exert on one another, and the results produced by these interactions. In general, physics is regarded as the fundamental science, because all other natural sciences use and obey the field's principles and laws. Physics relies heavily on mathematics as the logical framework for formulating and quantifying principles.
The study of the principles of the universe has a long history and largely derives from direct observation and experimentation. The formulation of theories about the governing laws of the universe has been central to the study of physics from very early on, with philosophy gradually yielding to systematic, quantitative experimental testing and observation as the source of verification. Key historical developments in physics include Isaac Newton's theory of universal gravitation and classical mechanics, an understanding of electricity and its relation to magnetism, Einstein's theories of special and general relativity, the development of thermodynamics, and the quantum mechanical model of atomic and subatomic physics.
Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and comets. Astronomy is the study of everything in the universe beyond Earth's atmosphere. That includes objects we can see with our naked eyes. Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences.
Astronomers of early civilizations performed methodical observations of the night sky, and astronomical artifacts have been found from much earlier periods. There are two types of astronomy: observational astronomy and theoretical astronomy. Observational astronomy is focused on acquiring and analyzing data, mainly using basic principles of physics while Theoretical astronomy is oriented towards the development of computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena.
Astronomy includes the examination, study, and modeling of stars, planets, comets. Most of the information used by astronomers is gathered by remote observation, although some laboratory reproduction of celestial phenomena has been performed (such as the molecular chemistry of the interstellar medium). There is considerable overlap with physics and in some areas of earth science. There are also interdisciplinary fields such as astrophysics, planetary sciences, and cosmology, along with allied disciplines such as space physics and astrochemistry.
While the origins of the study of celestial features and phenomena can be traced back to antiquity, the scientific methodology of this field began to develop in the middle of the 17th century. A key factor was Galileo's introduction of the telescope to examine the night sky in more detail.
The mathematical treatment of astronomy began with Newton's development of celestial mechanics and the laws of gravitation, although it was triggered by earlier work of astronomers such as Kepler. By the 19th century, astronomy had developed into formal science, with the introduction of instruments such as the spectroscope and photography, along with much-improved telescopes and the creation of professional observatories.
A particular example of a scientific discipline that draws upon multiple natural sciences is environmental science. This field studies the interactions of physical, chemical, geological, and biological components of the environment, with particular regard to the effect of human activities and the impact on biodiversity and sustainability. This science also draws upon expertise from other fields such as economics, law, and social sciences.
A comparable discipline is oceanography, as it draws upon a similar breadth of scientific disciplines. Oceanography is sub-categorized into more specialized cross-disciplines, such as physical oceanography and marine biology. As the marine ecosystem is very large and diverse, marine biology is further divided into many subfields, including specializations in particular species.
There is also a subset of cross-disciplinary fields that have strong currents that run counter to specialization by the nature of the problems that they address. Put another way: In some fields of integrative application, specialists in more than one field are a key part of the most dialog. Such integrative fields, for example, include nanoscience, astrobiology, and complex systeminformatics.
The materials paradigm represented as a tetrahedron
Materials science is a relatively new, interdisciplinary field that deals with the study of matter and its properties; as well as the discovery and design of new materials. Originally developed through the field of metallurgy, the study of the properties of materials and solids has now expanded into all materials. The field covers the chemistry, physics, and engineering applications of materials including metals, ceramics, artificial polymers, and many others. The core of the field deals with relating the structure of materials with their properties.
It is at the forefront of research in science and engineering. It is an important part of forensic engineering (the investigation of materials, products, structures or components that fail or do not operate or function as intended, causing personal injury or damage to property) and failure analysis, the latter being the key to understanding, for example, the cause of various aviation accidents. Many of the most pressing scientific problems that are faced today are due to the limitations of the materials that are available and, as a result, breakthroughs in this field are likely to have a significant impact on the future of technology.
The basis of materials science involves studying the structure of materials, and relating them to their properties. Once a materials scientist knows about this structure-property correlation, they can then go on to study the relative performance of a material in a certain application. The major determinants of the structure of a material and thus of its properties are its constituent chemical elements and how it has been processed into its final form. These characteristics, taken together and related through the laws of thermodynamics and kinetics, govern a material's microstructure, and thus its properties.
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