Most kids are intrigued by things that crawl. The question is - which bugs are so harmless that kids (or yourself) might be very comfortable touching them? One option is the Stink Bug. I know, not exactly the best name for a 'touching' recommendation.

Stink Bugs are common throughout the summer. If you are clothesline person no doubt one has made its way into the house. They are about the size of your fingernail. Stink Bugs have sucking mouth parts so pose no threat to you.…

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With their thin bodies and stealth they seem to easily make their way into our homes. We don't like to pick them up because of the scary-looking pinchers. The actual name for those things is cerci. Earwigs use them for defense against other insects. However, they will give you a pinch if you place your finger close enough - they are basically harmless.

How about your ears? The name earwig comes from the old superstition that they crawl in to people's ears. Fortunately, this is…

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Find all kinds of outdoor family activities in the Anchorage area for every age or create an event for others to join in on the fun at the Anchorage Outdoor Family Network.



Upcoming events include - Family Hikes, Skating at Westchester Lagoon, Hiking with Infants & Toddlers, Skedaddle Outdoor/All Weather Playgroup, Sledding, XCountry Skiing, Snowshoeing.



Come join in the fun!…



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Find all kinds of outdoor family activities in the Anchorage area for every age or create an event for others to join in on the fun at the Anchorage Outdoor Family Network.

Upcoming events include - Family Hikes, Skating at Westchester Lagoon, Hiking with Infants & Toddlers, Skedaddle Outdoor/All Weather Playgroup, Sledding, XCountry Skiing, Snowshoeing.

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I was watching a "reality" show on television about some wealthy women in California. The women were playing games with their children in the yard, but something was terribly wrong. The interaction between the women and the children appeared to be strained by the lack of expression on the mother's faces. I suspect that these fairly young women had undergone rather expensive cosmetic procedures to remove all facial wrinkles. The women were unable to smile as they watched their children…

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Samuel and his friend head out for an adventure. They are off to to build a gang hut in the woods next to the waterfall where the wild things roam.

Remember your childhood? Children need to be allowed to roam free and be wild.

Richard Louv-An Inspiration

Richard Louv is a journalist and author of…

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Whether you visit an outside rink or a natural pond, one key to a great skating experience is good skates that fit well. I do not pretend to be an expert "skate fitter" . I am a parent with some experience fitting ice skates for my own kids. For additional information, check with your childs skating instructor or local skating club. I will be discussing only figure skates ( as I know very very little about hockey skates. )

That said, here are a few suggestions for other…

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For those that saw the enactment of Teddy Tai and Teddy Chi on Oct 1st in San Diego ~~ A Poem employed as a way to have children move and feel balanced ~~ you'll also enjoy the video (link below) which shows TckTckTck the polar bear encouraging balance in the environment as well. These imaginative approaches can really help influence a generation to think and feel more ecologically . .…

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Blogger’s note: This commentary expands on the class…

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A couple of months ago, Jenny over at Let the Children Play wrote a super post about spies. As a child, even in my teens, I loved codes, mysteries and the whole concept of spying.



Now completely unconnected to this, I gave my parents an environmental art calendar last Christmas. One of the photos was of a leaf, with a… Continue

A brief little blog post today.

Vitamin D deficiency is rampant in pregnant women, infants, children and adults in many areas of the country, many occupations and many ethinic groups. Vitamin D deficiency has been an increasing problem for the last few decades and seems to be reaching an all time high. Clearly the problem is related to inadequate time out of doors.

The website www.vitamindcouncil.org website,…

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There are ten stories within my book, 'The Naturals': The Story of Cloudy, Snowy, Windy, Moony, Hailstones, Sunny, Rainbow, Rainy, Starry and Earth. To be read to 4-10 year olds so that they may feel the connection with our Natural World. Once they can feel that our Natural World is alive and compassionate and looking after us all, they will want to look after it. Here is a snippet from 'The Story of Starry':



'Gracie was no longer angry with Glitter Starry for waking her up. She was… Continue

Women often experience and interact with their natural surroundings in ways that differ from men. The way in which those differences affect a woman's sense of self, body image, and drive to protect and preserve the environment are explored in a thought-provoking special issue of Ecopsychology, a…

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