All Blog Posts (875)

Perhaps it’s because he’s my second child and the crazy obsessiveness I exhibited with my first child has left me… mostly. Perhaps it’s because I thought our little adventure wouldn’t take us very far from the car and, honestly, I really didn’t want to carry anything. I’m not sure why we started on our journey without a diaper bag but we did. And we learned an important lesson that day.

If your child drinks a lot they will require more frequent diaper changes. You’d think I would…

http://onnaturestreet.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/hummingbirds-pyramids-and-poetry.html

Social media feeds are really delivering the goods on the nature play front. There's three things in particular I can't get out of my head: hummingbirds, pyramids and some super fresh…

Whether the weather be fine

Or whether the weather be not.

Whether the weather be cold

Or whether the weather be hot.

We’ll weather the weather whatever the weather,

Whether we like it or not.…

A new rainforest puzzle was recently introduced to the Explorer classroom. One of the best parts of working in an educational environment is that something as simple as a new puzzle can inspire lots of learning and collaboration.

The long colorful puzzle features many exotic birds and animals that live in the rainforest.  As soon as the puzzle was completed, Ethan, one of the…

Slow Nature is catching on fast.

“Slow” Movements are really popular right now: Slow Food, Slow Fashion, Slow Parenting, and many more.

Now, there’s Slow Nature. (It’s about time, right?)

read more...

http://www.dahndesign.com/2014/03/12/slow-nature/…

Because we live on a farm, our children have very few unanswered questions when it comes to life and death. Our first goat kidding season was one of the most awe-inspiring experiences we've had on our little farm. It was that excitement and wonder that inspired me to create a toy that would answer some questions and bring that joy to all children.  …

Cedarsong Forest Kindergarten newsletter – Feb. 2014 ©Erin Kenny 2014

February weather ranged from freezing cold temperatures, with ice, snow, frost, and heavy winds to sunshine and barefoot days. Signs of spring are now everywhere throughout the forest: buds on twigs, alder catkins dropping from the branches, pollen visibly drifting through the air, leaves emerging on the elderberry bushes and nettles popping up here and there. Flying insects have emerged from…

An early connection with nature is essential to healthy development. At JMT Adventures, we don't just want to connect kids with the outdoors--we aim to foster a love for nature that will last a lifetime.

We provide an immersive nature experience unlike any other, leading teens on a 22-day, 210-mile thru hike of the John Muir Trail (JMT).  Campers will sleep under the Sierra stars and wake up to the morning…

Childhood is a very special and magical time. Childhood is sacred.

Childhood is when we learn about the world and ourselves, and provides a foundation of who we’ll be in the future. That is why it is so important to have experiences in nature, exploring the “Wonder” of it all.

Disconnected

So many have forgotten and have…

Sound faded away as my heart stopped.  I sucked in a breath so I could frantically yell, “Get down!  What are you doing?!”  My precious little boy was precariously balancing on a tree root, probably only millimeters thick.  This tiny root holding my 2-year-old was jutting out over angry water that was certainly miles deep and so cold hypothermia would set in instantaneously.  Is that gale force wind I feel?  Surely the next gust would cause my son to lose his already perilous…

Three-year old Ivan is sitting beside a small campfire in Nordmarka, Oslo's public forest, looking pretty pleased. For one, he has convinced his mother, Katja, to prepare pinnebrød for him: a classic outdoors delight of dough wrapped around a stick and cooked over the flames. But also, more importantly, Ivan tried out skiing for the first time today! In Norway, a country that claims cross-country skiing as a national sport, this is a big…

You've probably heard a lot about the polar vortex in recent weeks.  Here is a great, short article that will answer all of your questions.What is a polar vortex?

Forest Kindergarten newsletter – Jan. 2014 ©Erin Kenny 2014

January in the northwest was quite warm and we actually had some barefoot days. The temperatures have fooled the plant world into thinking it is spring: the pussywillows are in bloom, the nettles are ½ inch tall, new grass is sprouting, the elderberry buds are opening, hazelnut catkins are dangling and there are buds on many twigs. Evidence of spring is obvious in the animal world too as we have suddenly heard…

This is my son on the tip top of Everest.  Or, that’s how I presented this little dirt hill outside of my daughter’s school.  One thing to remember is that exploring and appreciating nature doesn’t always have to be something big.  You don’t have to climb Everest to admire the view.  You don’t have to stand by a giant redwood to be…

A sixth-grade girl waved me over to point out a small, puffy mushroom on the side of the trail. “It’s cool,” she breathed. “What is it?!”

I felt a sudden panic. Over the course of my environmental educator training, I had learned the names of countless mushrooms, trees and critters in this part of the western Connecticut forest, but I had never seen this type before. What was it? I had no…

OUTDOOR SPACES & CLASSROOMS

When children and nature mix, something magical happens. I am fortunate to witness that magic every day in our outdoor classrooms.

With Spring time just around the corner, what better time to start thinking about creating an Outdoor Space or Classroom.…