Nature Detective

We are now in the heart  of fall, a beautiful season!

Today's activity is so simple you will wonder why you hadn't thought of it...

or maybe you have!  yea! 

 

Grab a basket, shopping bag or some type of container with handles. 

 Grab a coat and bug spray, if needed, and head outside.

 

Older children may want to decide before going outside what they will look for.  However, spontaneous observation is a great skill to practice that will serve children well in all areas of their lives... at school, in play and later in the work force.

 

You have now taken on the role of a Nature Detective! 

 

Here are some ideas to prime your detective skills. 

 

1.  How many treasures can you find?

2.  If you find leaves as one of your treasures, what shapes, sizes, colors and textures did you collect?

3.  How many colors can you find?  Are they the same colors as during summer, spring or winter?
4.  Today pick up only red leaves.  Next trip out, pick up only yellow leaves.  The following day
     look for only orange leaves.  etc. 

5  What does the air smell like?  Does it smell the same as summer, spring or winter air?

6  What animals/birds do you see?  What are they doing? Why?

7  How does the air feel?  Is it the same or different from summer air? How?

8  What does the sky look like? 

9  Are there clouds in the sky?  If so, can you find shapes hidden in the cloud formations?  If you found a shape, how long does it stay in that same shape?  Does it stay the same or change?  Why?

 

Photo Source:  Hidden Splendor ©

Can you find the heart?

After your nature detective activity, why not extend the play inside.  Draw pictures of what you saw, make up or write stories about your adventure and discoveries.  Bring some treasures inside  and turn them into an art/craft project or use as a decoration for the holidays.  Study your treasures with a magnifying glass, microscope and/or flashlight.

 

This is just the beginning!  There are many more things to observe and investigate outside.

What else can you come up with?

 

Inspired by the book:

Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes: 

Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky Baxa

Available from http://www.Amazon.com

in both paperback and electronic versions

 

Blog posts are many times an extension of this book. 

We started at 500+ and are counting upward and onward!

 

 

Cloud Creatures

As I drove to town today I enjoyed the most amazing skyline.  Huge fluffy cumulus clouds decorated a clear blue sky.  Shades of whites, grays and blues decorated the horizon as if someone had whipped up a big batch of whipped cream and flung dollops into the air.. It was a fun sky, filled with every possible shape and size.  Cirrus clouds crowded into the scene, as if not wanting to be left out of the action.  It was a perfect day for picture taking... and for playing with kids.

Several days ago, my husband pointed out a cloud in the sky that looked like a man's face.  As we drove along we took note as it changed.  Our cloud man's nose grew, his chin lengthened, he puckered up his lips and eventually he disappeared.  It was great entertainment for quite a few miles.

Kids are even better at this game than adults.  Finding shapes in the clouds is an age old activity that never gets old.  Play it for a few minutes or for an hour, what ever you like.  The youngest child to the oldest adult can play and enjoy this activity.  Play it while driving on a trip, floating in a boat, sitting on your deck or lying down in your yard or nearby park.  You can even play this by looking out your window.  Wherever you are, this is sure to bring a smile and a batch of fun to your day.

If you have an older child who would like to explore clouds in more depth,  learn the names of the clouds and investigate more about meteorology.  Don't forget the library has great resources to learn about a new topic.

Here is a little chart and a website to get you started.



source:  http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloud3.html

Website: Weather for Kids

Inspired from the book:

Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes:

Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky Baxa

Available from http://www.Amazon.com

in both Kindle and Paperback versions

Cloud Picture Show

Yesterday was a picture perfect Autumn day.  The sun shone brightly on the emerging colors that announce that fall has arrived.  There was a brisk, cool breeze that nipped at your nose, made your hair fly around in crazy patterns and instinctively commanded you hug your jacket close around your neck.  The air smelled like fall.  How can you describe that?  You can just  tell there is a difference.  But the most incredible sign I noticed was the huge dark clouds that hovered and swirled in the clear blue sky.  Yes, fall had arrived.

An activity that can be done anywhere you can see the sky, for any age and for any amount of time is cloud watching.  The ultimate experience would be to bundle up in your favorite jacket, rake up a pile of ever emerging leaves and lay smack dab in the middle of that leaf pile on your back.  Of course, if you are in a geographic area that must worry about chiggers or ticks, make sure you apply insect repellent first.  As you lay on your bed of leaves begin to watch the "picture show" that is moving above your heads in the sky.  What animals or shapes can you find?  Can you make up a story about your clouds?  Take turns adding to the story until you have spun a yarn so tall you will double over with laughter.  Enjoy the show!

Can you find the heart?
What else do you see?

This Blog Post is inspired from the book:

Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes:

Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky B. Baxa

If you would like more fun ideas to share with your children

(that do not require batteries or electronics )

you can purchase this 180 page book,

full of color photos,

for $21.95

from Amazon.com

Or

from the gift shop at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO,

Silver Dollar City General Store in Branson, MO.

This book can also be checked out of the following libraries:

Scenic Regional Library - Pacific, MO

First Christian Church - Washington, MO

Hawaii State Library - Honolulu, HI

Story City Public Library - Story City, IA

Ellsworth Public Library - Ellsworth, ME

Ludington Public Library - Ludington, MI

 

Cloud Pictures

            Take a family "time-out"! 

When the sky fills up with big, puffy clouds bordered by the most gorgeous blue, pull out the lawn chairs or lay on a blanket searching the clouds for pictures.  Can you convince someone else of the picture you see?  Does everyone see the same things?  I see a heart.  Do you?