NATURE SCHOOL

ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, CRAFTS, GOOD FOR NATURE
Easy and Eco-friendly Bird Feeders to Make with Kids
- February 17, 2020
Did you know that birds, on average, eat between ¼ to ½ of their body weight every day? That’s a lot of calories for a bird to scrounge up every day, especially in the barren winter months. Feeding the birds is such a great way to get kids involved with nature and teach our children how to observe and feed wild animals. It’s no wonder so many of us love to help feed our feathered friends. Today, we have creative team member Leslie Alvis here, an Ohio homeschooling mom and photographer, sharing four eco-friendly easy bird feeders you can make with your kids.

Birds of a feather

Many of us have birds outside our windows on a daily basis. If you don’t feed them regularly, you might not realize just how many birds live near your home. In our yard, we don’t feed the birds during the plentiful summer months. However, during the winter we fill up our bird feeders and then looking for other ways to offer them some treats.

I’m always amazed when we put out seed and the birds just flock to our yard. My children press up to the windows, delighted to see all those little feathered creatures nibbling away at the treats we’ve made for them. We hope these bird feeders make the cold winter days a little easier for these busy birds.

Eco-friendly bird feeders

My children love making homemade bird feeders. However, I’m a little picky about which projects we tackle. I like our bird feeders to be environmentally-friendly and biodegradable. That way, if the next windstorm blows them away, they aren’t creating litter somewhere. Also, I’m not a super crafty person, so they need to be simple enough for all of us.

We’ve tried making a few different types of bird feeders this winter that pass our tests of being both ec0-friendly and easy. Today, I’m sharing four eco-friendly and easy bird feeders you can make with your kids: (1) bird feeder muffins, (2) pinecone bird feeders, (3) log suet bird feeder and (4) birdseed wreath feeder. I hope you’ll try making these with your kids, too!

1. Muffin bird feeders

First up, muffin bird feeders. Muffin bird feeders are an easy and completely eco-friendly recipe to make with the kids. I came across this adaptable recipe in an older book on backyard birding and knew we had to give it a try. This particular way of feeding the birds is perfect if you don’t have a place to hang feeders! These cute mini muffins can be set on window ledges, benches, tucked in crooks of trees, or set on porch railings. We scattered them everywhere around our house and yard. The kids had so much fun seeing where the birds like to eat and if they’d find them all!

The whole process was easy and fun. My children loved helping mix up the ingredients, baking the muffins, and then setting them out all around our yard. The birds loved eating them! It was delightful to find only a few crumbs left after a crowd of birds had pecked away at the muffin. We even put some on our front window ledge and had cardinals, blue jays, and sparrows right in our front window.

Bird feeder muffin ingredients:

The original recipe for the muffins called for the following ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup peanuts
- ¼ cup chopped bacon
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 small apple
- 1 egg
- 2 T maple syrup or honey
- 3 T butter, melted
- 1 cup milk
Bird feeder muffin recipe directions
1. Toss the seeds, nuts, fruit, and bacon into a food processor or chop very finely.
2. Mix together with the flours, then stir in the wet ingredients.
3. Pour the muffins into a greased mini muffin tin and bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Refrigerate or freeze any muffins you don’t distribute right away.
My favorite thing about the recipe for muffin feeders is that they can be made with whatever ingredients you want to use. I tweaked this recipe based on the ingredients we had on hand, and they turned out great! They are packed with yummy and high-protein foods for birds. If you have other whole grain and seed options on hand, they can be added in place of some of the more processed ones here. We just used the options we had.

2. Pinecone bird feeders

Pinecone bird feeders are an oldie, but a goody! I made these simple bird feeders when I was a little girl, and now I love making them with my children. Sometimes you just can’t go wrong with the classics. The birds love them, too! I especially love that this feeder uses nature for its base, and when the pinecone has been picked clean you can simply untie it and let it return to the ground. You can reuse the string, or lay it in the tree branches for the birds to use to build their nests.

Collect the pinecones

I absolutely love that you get to start this bird feeder project with a nature walk to gather pinecones. We had so much fun spending a sunny winter afternoon tromping around and looking for the perfect pinecones. When we had stuffed our pockets full, we carried them home and took advantage of the mild temperatures by making these bird feeders outside at our picnic table. It kept the mess outdoors, and it also helped us keep working on our #1000hoursoutside. (Thanks to Ginny Yurich of 1000 Hours Outside, we are becoming increasingly more conscious of choosing time outside for our family.)

Pinecone bird feeder ingredients

To make these feeders, you will need the following:
- Pinecones—whatever size and shape you can find
- String
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 T shortening or butter
- 2-3 cups birdseed
Pro tip: if your pine cones are closed up tight, you can pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they open up!

Pinecone bird feeder instructions
1. Tie 6-8 inches of string to the tip of each pine cone.
2. Melt your peanut butter and butter together until runny. If it’s too hot for little fingers, allow it to cool slightly.
3. Dip your pinecones in the mixture until they are completely covered.
4. Roll the pinecones thoroughly in birdseed.
5. Hang in nearby trees and bushes.
This whole process is so hands-on and fun for all ages. From our toddler to our tween, everyone really enjoyed this whole activity. And they all had their faces pressed to the windows first thing the next morning, watching the birds enjoying their new pine cone feeders!

3. Log suet bird feeder

This next bird feeder option is still quick and easy, but does require someone who can use a power drill (the kids love this!), so adult supervision is necessary. I suggested this idea to my 11-year-old son and showed him the picture from a book. To my surprise, he completed the feeder in 15 minutes! While I’m not promoting turning little kids loose with power tools, this would be a great project for an older child (teen/tween) that knows how to properly use these items. (My husband is a carpenter by trade and has trained our son to use tools safely for years now.) I was impressed by his accomplishment and he was so proud of himself!

Making a suet feeder

To make the bird feeder, all you need is a log, about 4 inches in diameter and 12-18 inches long. Take a 1.5-inch drill bit and drill holes into the log, about 1.5 inches deep. The number of holes you drill depends on the size of your log. We ended up with five or six in our feeder. My son then nailed a 12-inch length of chain into the top of the log so we could hang the feeder. Like I said, it took him about 15 minutes working with materials we had on hand, and I think it’s the cutest little suet feeder I’ve ever seen! He even added a little perch under one hole for the birds who like to perch instead of clinging to a tree to eat.

Making suet filling

To fill this bird feeder, you can buy suet or make your own. We decided to try making our own, mixing birdseed and rolled oats with fat rendered from a ham we had recently cooked. I tossed the bone and the fat from the ham into my instant pot and cooked it for an hour and a half. After the mixture chilled, I scraped all the fat off the top and that was my suet base. You can also use lard or vegetable shortening. Learn more about making your own suet here).

We pressed this mixture into the holes on the feeder and my son hung it up in the crab apple tree outside our front window. The birds were fluttering around it within an hour! It’s easy to refill and I think we’ll be using this feeder for a long time.

4. Wreath bird feeder

We were having so much fun making all those other easy bird feeders, we had to try this one, too! I gave my eight-year-old daughter this recipe and she made this all on her own! She loves to read recipes and try new projects, so this one was a great one for her to try independently. It was an easy and fun bird feeder for her to make. It does take a day or two to harden, so we had to be patient and leave it alone while it dried! That’s a lesson all of its own!

Birdseed wreath feeder ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 T unflavored gelatin
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3 T corn syrup
- 4 cups bird seed
Birdseed wreath feeder instructions
1. Stir together the hot water and gelatin until dissolved (this takes a bit of time and stirring!).
2. Add the flour and corn syrup and mix together into a sticky paste, then add the birdseed.
3. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix well and then press into a well-greased bundt or tube pan.
4. Allow the feeder to dry for a least 24 hours. After a day, we flipped ours out of the tube pan onto a drying rack to let it finish hardening.
5. Tie a scrap of burlap around it and hang it out for the birds!
A note of caution: this feeder may not hold up well to rain. We hung ours on a bush that hangs under our porch roof a little to protect it from the elements.

Eco-friendly bird feeders for kids

So there you have it – four super easy ec0-friendly bird feeders to make with kids. We hope you’ll try making one (or all four!) of these this winter for your local neighborhood feathered friends. Feeding the birds is such a great way to get kids involved with nature, teach our children how to observe and care for animals, as well as being good for the environment.

How do you like to feed the birds?
Have you made bird feeders with your kids?

Hi, I’m Leslie Alvis! I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, wife to my high school sweetheart, and mom to four rascally kids. They love the outdoors as much as I do, and our yard often feels like the scene from “The Sound of Music” where you hear voices and laughter and can’t find any children until you look up into the trees. I love writing, photography, and all things outdoors, and do pretty much everything with my kids tagging along. We live in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Amish Country, where it’s perfectly normal to park beside a horse and buggy at the grocery store.

We homeschool, which basically means that I’m trying to teach my kids to use their minds without losing my own. While we follow a traditional curriculum, I weave every outdoor adventure I can into our educational journey. I believe that the lessons children experience firsthand sink deepest into their hearts and minds, and there is so much we can learn outside in the beauty and wonder of nature.

You can find Leslie online in the following locations:
Instagram: @c_l_allofus
Client work: @lalvisphotography
RWMC post: Leslie Alvis
CRAFTS, GARDENING, GIFT GUIDE, GOOD FOR NATURE, HOLIDAYS
DIY Eco-friendly Plantable Seed Paper Valentines
- February 6, 2020
February is the month of love! We not only want to encourage you to spread love to friends and family, but to make sure you’re also loving on your planet. As Valentine’s Day approaches, parents are faced with trying to figure out what to send to class with the kids. We know plastic trinkets, individually wrapped candies, and pre-printed cards are fun and easy. But those things aren’t always great for the environment. This year we hope you’ll consider some eco-friendly alternatives. Today, we have the amazing Chelsea, professional photographer and eco-conscious mom of 2, sharing a simple project for turning recyclable paper into adorable Valentines that are good for the birds and bees! Chelsea walks us through how to make DIY wildflower plantable seed paper Valentines that are fun and easy for kids to make from materials you already have at home.

Making a change

Each year I try to make a few changes in our lives that allow us to leave a smaller footprint on Earth. As I was thinking about what to do for this year’s valentines for my kids’ classmates, I realized this was another area we could make improvements. It seems like every year my kids bring home more and more stuff from their class holiday parties. Little plastic trinkets, individually wrapped candies, plastic baggies stuffed to the brim with junk that eventually ends up in the trash.

And let me be honest, my kids absolutely LOVE IT. They love receiving all those fun treats and they love giving them out as well. But this year I can’t do it. I can’t add to the growing problem. So, I decided to find an alternative that would more closely match our values.

DIY plantable seed paper Valentines

Instead of buying something that would be thrown away, we decided to make something. These DIY plantable seed paper valentines made from recycled paper are a perfect alternative to the usual store-bought valentine items! They check all of the boxes when it comes to a Valentine that aligns with our values. They’re handmade, which allows for me to spend extra time with the kids. They’re made from recycled materials, giving a new life to things that would otherwise be thrown away. And they’re plantable, which means our little Valentines will keep on giving long after we’ve gifted them!

Not only will these homemade Valentines provide beauty when they’re grown, but they’re extra good for the environment. We deliberately chose a wildflower pack that’s specifically made for birds and butterflies! Win-win for everyone! We had so much fun creating these eco-friendly seed paper valentines and hope you will too. They’re super simple to make and absolutely adorable!

Plantable seed paper materials

The great thing about these Valentines is that you don’t really need anything special to make them! Other than the wildflower seeds, you probably already have all the materials necessary to make your own plantable seed paper at home right now. Here’s what you’ll need to get started.
- Paper scraps
- Food dye (optional)
- Wildflower seeds
- Water
- Large bowl
- Blender or food processor
- Grease splatter screen (or screen material)
- Towels
- Cookie sheet
- Pencil
- Scissors
How to make plantable seed paper

I was pleasantly surprised just how fun and easy it is to make your own DIY plantable wildflower seed paper. It didn’t take us long at all and we were so happy with the way it turned out. The paper is also so versatile and can be used for any variety of holidays, gifts or projects. Tuning the plantable paper into Valentines was so much fun and we truly loved the way they turned out.

Step 1: Gather paper and rip

The first step is to gather scrap paper and let the children rip up the paper into small pieces. I highly recommend using paper that has been used and that you’d normally recycle, as opposed to new clean paper. You can really use any kind of paper, from printer paper to construction paper. You can use junk mail, papers from the kids’ schoolwork that you aren’t keeping, flyers, old coloring book pages or even newspapers.

We used a stack of papers that would be normally tossed into the recycling bin. We also used one piece of red construction paper, just for some added color. You can use any colored paper depending on the color you want your seed paper to be, or just leave it out altogether.

Step 2: Soak the paper

Next, place the ripped pieces of paper into a bowl of water. Let the paper bits sit in the water for 10-15 minutes to allow the paper to fully soak and saturate.

Step 3: Puree to a pulp

Once the recycled paper is soaked, place the pulpy mixture into a blender or food processor. If you want create colored paper, now is the time to add a few drops of food coloring to the mix. We used two drops of red dye for ours. Put it all in the blender and liquefy it! This step should definitely be supervised by an adult!

*Please note: the blending can be hard on appliances so you’ll want to use a high-quality appliance. This may also dull your blades. Blend at your own risk*

Step 4: Add seeds and spread

Place a towel on a cookie sheet. Then place a splatter screen over towel. Once the paper mixture has been blended into a pulp, pour it back into the bowl. Then mix the wildflower seeds into the recycled paper pulp.

Have the children use a spoon or their hands to spread the pulp onto the screen. Using your hands or a spoon, spread the pulp as thinly and evenly as possible over the entire screen, pressing lightly to squeeze out any extra water. The towel beneath the screen will also help absorb the extra water that comes out of the paper.

Step 5: Let dry

Once the pulp has been evenly spread on the screens, leave it to dry. Drying time will vary depending on the thickness of the pulp and humidity. Our paper took several days to dry completely. Give it time! During the drying process, you’ll need to remove the wet towels under the paper and replace them with dry towels. Once the seed paper was stiff enough to handle without falling apart, I flipped it once to help with the drying time.

Step 6: Cut into shapes

When the plantable seed paper is completely dry and stiff, it’s ready to be made into Valentines! Use a cookie cutter as your template or even just a cutout shape of your choosing. We chose a heart (naturally!). Trace your shape onto the seed paper using a marker and then carefully cut them out. You may want to have the children do the tracing and have an adult do the cutting because the paper is quite fragile!

Step 7: Share the love!

Once you have your plantable seed paper cutout into the shape of your choice, that’s it! Your frugal, earth-friendly valentines are complete and ready to give to friends, neighbors and family members. Let them know that they just need to plant the paper in a sunny spot to grow a beautiful little patch of wildflowers that will brighten their days and help the birds and bees. You could even print off some cute cards with fun phrases on them to attach to the Valentines. Pinterest has some great free printables to use!

Plantable seed paper makes a great gift!

Plantable seed paper doesn’t only have to be for Valentine’s Day. You can make wildflower seed paper for so many occasions, using any kind of cutout shape, size or color. So it would be great for Earth Day, Mother’s Day, or any special occasion or holiday. These little cutouts make a great take-home favor for birthday parties and bridal/baby showers as well.

Do you make your own Valentines?
How do you make holidays more eco-friendly?

About the author

Hi there, I’m Chelsea! I’m a photographer, mother of two busy boys, and sunshine and fresh air addict. We live in Virginia Beach, Virginia and spend as much time outdoors as we possibly can! We spend most of our time exploring the beach, inlets, and nature trails nearby. Our family loves biking, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, building forts, and playing in the sand! During the warm months, you can find us enjoying the Chesapeake Bay almost every night until long after the sun goes down. We’re doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint and always try to leave every trail cleaner than it was when we arrived.

You can find Chelsea online in the following locations:
Instagram: @dimples.and.the.blonde
Client work: @chelsea.lyn.photography
Website: dimplesandtheblonde.com
RWMC posts: Chelsea Furlong
CRAFTS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER
Winter Outdoor Activities: DIY Frozen Suncatchers
- January 24, 2020
Ice is both beautiful and fascinating to children and adults, alike. It’s amazing that something as simple as water can turn into a glassy solid in any shape. Kids are easily wowed by the freezing process and mesmerized by the beauty and texture of ice. Today, we’re sharing an easy outdoor winter activity that involves turning water and a few simple natural items into beautiful frozen suncatchers that gleam and glisten in the sun. This activity will not only give your child a chance to explore your outdoor area for fun natural items to incorporate into their suncatchers, but will also teach them about temperature and the freezing process.

How to make DIY frozen suncatchers

DIY frozen suncatchers are a super easy craft that you can make outdoors in the winter. There are so many great things about this craft. Not only does this project get your little ones outside and exploring in the cooler weather, but it also requires little to no prep work and no fancy or expensive supplies. These ice suncatchers can be made anywhere at any time, using any variety of supplies and ingredients from your home and outdoor area. All you need is a little imagination and some patience!

Start by exploring outside and collecting

There are three main things you need to make DIY frozen suncatchers: water, a container and natural ingredients for decoration. The water and containers can be found in any kitchen. It’s the natural elements that your children collect and include in their suncatchers that will make them each unique and individual. Start this project out by allowing your children to explore your area (yard, neighborhood, local park/woods) and collect small natural items to include in the frozen suncatchers.

Give each kid a bag or collection box to hold their supplies. Explain that they’ll need a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes of objects to include. Then let them choose what to collect. This not only gets them outside in the fresh air but gets them thinking about the variety of plants, leaves, flowers and natural elements in their area.

DIY Frozen Suncatcher natural ingredients

You can use absolutely anything in your DIY frozen suncatchers, as long as it’s small enough to fit in the ice! We highly recommend only using natural supplies that will naturally decompose over time and not cause any issues for animals if they consume them. Now is probably not the time to use marbles or coins or anything plastic. Here’s a list of a few items we’ve included in our suncatchers from a walk around our suburban neighborhood.
- Pine needles
- Leaves
- Flowers/petals
- Twigs
- Acorns
- Pebbles
- Pinecones
- Birdseed
- Orange or lemon slices
- Berries
- Evergreen branches
- Nuts
- Ivy
If you don’t have access to a place to collect natural supplies or want to get extra fancy, pick up a small bouquet of flowers from your local grocery store and use the petals. You’ll be amazed at how gorgeous a frozen suncatcher you’ll get using a variety of colored flower petals.

Choose the right container

Once you have your ingredients collected, you’ll want to choose your containers. You can use plastic lids, paper/plastic plates, pie plates, pans, bowls or silicone molds. No need to buy anything new – get creative with what you already have at home! You can use anything from cupcake tins to bundt cake pans! Teacups to ice cube trays. Be advised that the bigger and deeper your container, the longer it will take to freeze. We used a handful of small shallow paper plates, which worked perfectly. If you’re using anything made of paper, I suggest a thin coating of nonstick spray on the paper to keep the ice from sticking.

Add the water and natural elements

Fill your container with the required amount of water. Try to keep the water shallow so that the suncatchers freeze faster, aren’t too heavy to hang and are thin enough to allow sunlight to pass through them. Once you have water in your container, let your kids add the natural elements they collected to the water in any design of your choosing. Let them create shapes with the items or lay them out in any design of their choosing. Just be aware of shifting items if you have to move them. If possible, make the suncatchers in a place you can leave them to freeze.

For extra fun, add a few drops of food coloring to make a rainbow of beautiful colors in your frozen suncatchers! And if you want to hang these gorgeous creations from tree branches or on a window sill, make sure you add a small piece of string or ribbon half out of the ice in a loop so that it will freeze in place giving you a built-in hanger for your suncatcher.

Pro tip: I’ve heard that if you boil the water before you use it in your suncatcher, the ice will be clear and less cloudy! I haven’t tried this, but that would really make these suncatchers extra beautiful!

Let them freeze

Now comes the hard part for kids…being patient while they freeze! If you live in a place where it’s cold enough for the water to freeze outside, then leave your suncatchers outside in a safe place (where they won’t be disturbed) a few hours or overnight to freeze. If it’s not cold enough in your area, you can place them flat in your freezer until frozen. Just be extra careful when moving them not to shake or disturb the designs.

Learn while you wait

While you’re waiting for your suncatchers to freeze, take the opportunity to educate! Talk to your child(ren) about the temperature at which water freezes and what happens to the water as it solidifies. Discuss the temperature outside and take a guess as to how long it will take for the water to freeze. Check on the status of your suncatchers and note the changes taking place. Note the temperature outside and compare it to the temperature in your fridge or freezer.

Hang and enjoy!

After the water turns to ice, gently remove the ice suncatcher from the mold and examine your frozen suncatcher creation. Hang your sun catchers from a tree branch or window sill. Let your kids use them to decorate a tree or bush in the backyard. The sun shining through the ice will create such a beautiful outdoor sight you’re going to want to do these year-round!

Have you ever made frozen suncatchers?

If you’re looking for more outdoor winter activities and ideas for kids, make sure to check out our post with 100+ Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids.
CRAFTS, FALL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
How to Make an Autumn Leaf Lantern
- November 19, 2019
If you’re looking for an easy fall craft to make with kids, you’ve come to the right place! Today, the amazingly crafty mama and teacher Jemma, of Thimble & Twig, is here to show you how to make an autumn leaf lantern with your kids. These autumn leaf lanterns are a fun and easy nature craft to make with kids of any age. They look fantastic on a window sill or as part of a fall decor display. You can even take them with you to light your way on a night hike in the woods! Kids love collecting the leaves and the gluey, messiness of it sticking it all together. They also love taking their own little lantern on a trip outside or hanging it in their garden to light their way at night.

DIY autumn leaf lanterns

Making an autumn leaf lantern is a relatively easy project to make with kids (particularly older kids). In addition, these lanterns use real leaves found in nature, in your backyard, local park or found on a walk. So not only to do inspire creativity, they encourage kids to get outside and explore! There are a few complicated steps to make these autumn leaf lanterns (plus, the tissue paper is very delicate), so adult assistance is probably required. But, they’re guaranteed to keep little kids busy and excited to use their lantern for night-time exploring!

Leaf collecting with little ones

The first step in making a leaf lantern is to collect the leaves. Take your little ones on a walk around the neighborhood when the leaves are looking pretty and colorful. Give them each a paper bag to fill with leaves they like. To mix it up, you could assign each kid different color, size or specific tree to collect leaves from. This will help ensure you get a variety of colors, sizes and styles.

Prep your leaves

Once you’ve collected all the pretty leaves, you’ll need to get them prepped for crafting. In addition, leaves need to be dry and flat. Lay a couple paper towels on the kitchen table and spread the leaves out on them to dry for a little while (a few hours or a few days). The glue won’t stick if the leaves are wet, so make sure they’re completely dry. If you have some large wrinkly leaves, try flattening them under some heavy books to make them easier to glue!

Supplies for making autumn leaf lanterns

You will need the following supplies to make your leaf lantern. All of these supplies can be found at your local craft store or online.
- Bamboo circular frame (or you could use a wooden craft or embroidery hoop)
- White or cream tissue paper
- Glue or Mod-Podge (the best is the type of glue that is clear when it dries)
- String
- Battery operated tea lights
- Autumn leaves
Autumn leaf lantern instructions

STEP ONE:

Take your hoop/frame and cut two pieces of string long enough to stretch from one side of the hoop to the other (plus a little extra for tying). Tie the ends of the strings to the hoop to make a cross (X) shape and secure the knots with masking tape. This is the handle of your lantern.

STEP TWO:

Take 3 large sheets of tissue paper lay them out flat. Carefully glue your autumn leaves onto one side of the tissue paper. Be very careful, as the tissue paper is very delicate. It will feel strange, but be sure to put the glue on the side of the leaf that is the most colorful. This ensures that the pretty colors shine through the tissue paper. Remember to leave some white tissue paper showing so your light will shine through. Allow the tissue paper to completely dry for at least an hour.

STEP THREE:

When your leaf covered tissue paper is fully dry, carefully glue the seams of the tissue paper together so that you have a circular lantern.

STEP FOUR:

Cover the rim of the circular frame with glue. Lay the hoop/frame on its side and and carefully line the rim of the from with the white tissue paper, leaving an inch or two at the top. Glue the top of the tissue paper onto the frame, leaving the sides and bottom hanging open. Fold the top down over the hoop, all the way around.

STEP FIVE:

Cut the bottom of the tissue paper to the size required and fold it onto itself a few times. Add a layer of glue so that the paper overlaps, creating a bottom to close your lantern. Be sure to fold it several times in order to make a strong base.

STEP SIX:

Cut a small piece of cardboard into a circular shape which will be used to line/support the bottom of your lantern. Carefully use a little bit of sticky tape and stick 2-3 battery operated tea lights to the cardboard. Place the piece of cardboard gently into the bottom of the lantern with the tea lights secured to it.

Go on a lantern-lit night hike

Why not use your autumn leaf lantern to go on a night hike? Kids love adventuring out in the dark when they’re usually inside. It’s so exciting to visit even a familiar place in the dark! Darkness transforms the natural world into a different place. And by helping children to discover the mysteries of the night they might come to enjoy the dark and not be fearful of it. Take your leaf lantern with you on a nighttime walk in the woods. Or venture out to a grassy place to have a sit down and do some star spotting! To really appreciate the stars or the moon on a clear night, go out to an open space with as little man-made light as possible, bring a star constellation chart and see which ones you can spot!

* Please note that these lanterns are made from a very light tissue paper and therefore you should NEVER use use real candle tealights with them because it could start a fire. Try not to leave your battery lights on for too long so they do not overheat.

Additional nature-inspired crafts for kids

If you are interested in crafts, we’ve got lots more ideas for fun nature-inspired crafts to make with your kids! So try some of these easy ideas from my website, Thimble & Twig and here on Run Wild My Child.
- Hapa Zome – Flower Printing – Hapa zome is the Japanese term for beating (or tapping really) leaves or flowers with hammers, pounding their natural pigment into cloth.
- Making Journey Sticks – Incorporate elements of your hikes, adventures and outings into beautiful physical storytelling devices.
- DIY Moth Wings – These can be made from materials you probably already have in your craft closet and yard. While the moth wings are a perfect project for fall, this tutorial can also be changed and adapted for any season based on what’s available in your location.
- Woodland Crafts for Kids – There are lots of fun woodland crafts for kids to make from the brimming baskets of treasures that they will inevitably find and collect. This post contains three simple leaf crafts for kids.
About the author

I’m Jemma and I live in London, England with my husband and 4 kids. My all-time favorite thing to do is take photos and capture memories of my family. I’m on a mission to ensure parenthood doesn’t rush by so quickly by creating mini family outdoor adventures and hopefully some big adventures too one day! I’m a mum to four and an English teacher to many; my passion for storytelling, adventures and nature crafts is packaged up into my blog http://www.thimbleandtwig.com. You can also find me on Instagram at @thimbleandtwig.
BOOKS, GIFT GUIDE, LESSONS, NATURE SCHOOL
Best Educational Nature Books for Kids
- November 4, 2019
Books are one of my biggest passions and biggest weaknesses. I am a self-proclaimed book addict and can’t ever pass up a good book recommendation. Children’s books are no different. Our shelves at home are lined with picture books containing incredible stories, silly rhymes, and beautiful images. I especially love to find books that not only captivate my children visually but teach us something about life, nature and our planet. Today, I’ve put together a giant comprehensive list of more than 80 gorgeous educational nature books for kids. These nature-inspired children’s books are sure to teach your children about the world around them and become some of your child’s favorite resources for years to come.

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Best educational children’s books about nature & our planet

This list of the best educational nature books for kids has been in the works for a long time! It’s taken me months to put together a list of mostly non-fiction nature-inspired books that will teach your child about the beautiful world around them in a fun way that doesn’t feel like learning. From learning about the tiny microbes in your home to the giant whales in the ocean, we’ve included books about all kinds of aspects of our planet and nature. We’ve included animal fact books, nature poetry, children’s atlases and encyclopedias. From bees to birds, bugs to bark, we’ve got something for everyone! Exploring a book with a child is one of the best ways to spend time together, inside or out! We hope you’ll use this list to encourage your child to love and appreciate our planet and its animals in a whole new way.

Save this list!

Don’t forget that books make GREAT gifts! If you’re looking for a way to cut down on the amount of cheap plastic and toys you give/get this upcoming holiday season, consider investing in some of these amazing books instead. They’ll serve your children well for years and can be passed down to the next generation or donated to a library/charity. Consider gifting a few of these to the special kids in your life to add to their shelves. Feel free to pass this list of educational nature books to grandparents and family members when they ask you what your children want for the next holiday or birthday.

We’ve even made it easy for you to save and share – here’s a free printable PDF of the books for you to pass on to friends and family members, save for future reference, or print out and take it to your local library or bookstore.

1. Atlas of Ocean Adventures: A Collection of Natural Wonders, Marine Marvels and Undersea Antics from Across the Globe by Emily Hawkins
2. What Do They Do with All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz
3. Everything & Everywhere: A Fact-Filled Adventure for Curious Globe-Trotters by Marc Martin
4. Wild World by Angela McAllister
5. Nature’s Day: Discover the world of wonder on your doorstep by Kay Maguire
6. How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery
7. Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
8. Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies

9. Children’s Illustrated Animal Atlas by DK
10. A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston
11. Bees: A Honeyed History by Piotr Socha
12. Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau
13. Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take Along Guides) by Diane Burns
14. National Parks of the USA by Kate Siber
15. How to Survive as a Shark by Kristen Foote
16. The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs: Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water, Track Animals―and Other Forgotten Skills by Tristan Gooley

17. The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest―and Most Surprising―Animals on Earth by Steve Jenkins
18. Octopus Escapes Again! by Laurie Ellen Angus
19. When the Whales Walked: And Other Incredible Evolutionary Journeys by Dougal Dixon
20. A Rock Is Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston
21. The Big Book of Beasts by Yuval Zommer
22. Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle by Miranda Paul
23. Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner
24. Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses (Big Words for Little Geniuses) by Susan Patterson

25. Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life by Julia Rothman
26. Owls: Our Most Charming Bird by Matt Sewell
27. The Big Book of Birds by Yuval Zommer
28. Redwoods by Jason Chin
29. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino
30. Trees: A Rooted History by Piotr Socha
31. The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall
32. This Phenomenal Life: The Amazing Ways We Are Connected with Our Universe by Misha Blaise

33. The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer
34. A Tree for All Seasons (Rise and Shine) by Robin Bernard
35. Animals of a Bygone Era by Maja Säfström
36. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
37. D’Aulaires’ Book of Animals by Ingri d’Aulaire
38. Atlas of Adventures: A collection of natural wonders, exciting experiences and fun festivities from the four corners of the globe by Rachel Williams
39. A Year of Nature Poems by by Joseph Coelho
40. Who Eats What?: Food Chains and Food Webs by Patricia Lauber

41. The Magic and Mystery of Trees by Jen Green
42. A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Aston
43. How Mountains Are Made by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
44. Botanicum: Welcome to the Museum by Kathy Willis
45. Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies
46. Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins
47. The Wonders of Nature by Ben Hoare
48. The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts by Maja Säfström

49. Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies
50. Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up by Sally M. Walker
51. Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin
52. The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems by Rachel Ignotofsky
53. A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Aston
54. Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World by Julia Rothman
55. The Bee Book by Charlotte Milner
56. The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth by DK

57. Animalium: Welcome to the Museum by Jenny Broom
58. An Anthology of Intriguing Animals by DK
59. In the Past: From Trilobites to Dinosaurs to Mammoths in More Than 500 Million Years by David Elliott
60. Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies
61. A World Full of Animal Stories US: 50 favorite animal folk tales, myths and legends by Angela McAllister
62. The Big Book of the Blue by Yuval Zommer
63. Nature All Around: Bugs by Pamela Hickman
64. Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest by Fiona Cohen

65. Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring
66. Flying Frogs and Walking Fish: Leaping Lemurs, Tumbling Toads, Jet-Propelled Jellyfish, and More Surprising Ways That Animals Move by Steve Jenkins
67. Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics by Steve Jenkins
68. Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman
69. A Beetle Is Shy by Dianna Hutts Aston
70. Atlas of Animal Adventures: A collection of nature’s most unmissable events, epic migrations and extraordinary behaviours by Rachel Williams
71. The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Ups by Gina Ingoglia
72. Does It Fart?: The Definitive Field Guide to Animal Flatulence by Nick Caruso

73. Lots by Marc Martin
74. Amazing Facts About Baby Animals by Maja Säfström
75. The Variety of Life by Nicola Davies
76. Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World by Julia Rothman
77. Fish Tricks: The Wild and Wacky World of Fish by Haude Levesque
78. An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston
79. Strange Trees: And the Stories Behind Them by Bernadette Pourquie
80. The Life and Times of the Honeybee by Charles Micucci

81. Birds, Nests & Eggs (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring
82. Caterpillar and Bean: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins
83. The Butterfly House by Katy Flint
84. Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year by Nosy Crow
85. Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart
86. The Wonder Garden by Jenny Broom
87. A Drop Around the World by Barbara McKinney
88. A Log’s Life by Wendy Pfeffer

What’s your favorite educational nature books for kids?

For more children’s nature book recommendations, check out all our Nature Books posts.
FRIDAY FEATURES, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PHOTOGRAPHY
Friday Feature: Samantha Elizabeth @thisgrowinglife_
- October 25, 2019
It’s Friday! Time for another Friday Feature, where we feature a member of our Instagram community and give you a little more information on the person and the inspiration behind the pretty pictures. Today’s featured photographer is Samantha Elizabeth @thisgrowinglife, a homesteading and homeschooling mom of four in Ontario, Canada. Samantha’s feed is full of incredible ideas for nature school lessons, nature crafts, outdoor activities and fun adventures. Her creativity shines through the images in her feed and I’m constantly in awe of the beautiful life and experiences she’s creating for her family. Her captions are encouraging, helpful and thoughtful. I can’t wait for you to get to know her a bit more. Here’s a little more about Samantha in her own words.

Favorite outdoor experience from this past year?

We spent a week exploring the caves and trails of Bruce Penninsula National Park in Tobermory Ontario. The water there is Caribbean blue and so beautiful! There are even underwater caves that you can swim through!

List three bucket list destinations you’re dying to see?

It’s so hard to pick only 3. I’d love to swim in the Melissani sea cave in Greece. I want to visit all the waterfalls in Croatia. Finally, I want to take a road trip all around Scotland, visiting as many castles as we could along the way.

Any upcoming travel adventures planned for this year that you’re excited about?

We plan to take two road trips this year: one across Canada and the other down to Florida. Road trips are definitely a favorite around here!

What do you love/like the most about Instagram?

I love being able to connect with other mamas and being able to encourage one another!

Favorite place to photograph your kids?

I don’t have a favorite place but I do have a favorite season: autumn! The autumn colors around us are just breathtaking!

For more from Samantha Elizabeth,
find her online in the following locations:

Instagram: @thisgrowinglife_

For more inspiration behind our favorite Instagram accounts, check out all our Friday Features.
CRAFTS, FALL, HOLIDAYS, LESSONS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, OUTDOORS INSIDE
Fun & Simple Halloween Activities for Kids
- October 17, 2019
If your kids are anything like mine, they automatically associate October with Halloween! I’m pretty sure they get their intense love for this holiday from their mama. It’s been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. The costumes, the cold dark nights, the glowing pumpkins! Or maybe it’s just all the candy? Either way, it’s a blast! Today, we’ve got mom and teacher extraordinaire, Brandi Markham here sharing 10 fun and simple Halloween activities for kids! These easy activities are a great way to engage their senses and guaranteed to get your kids in the Halloween spirit.

The most wonderful time of the year

The temperature is finally dropping in our neck of the woods and Fall is officially here! Since having children, Fall has easily become my favorite time of year. We love all things Fall – apple orchards, pumpkin patches, Halloween, cooler temperatures, colorful leaves and more. As a mother and a teacher, I love to create fun and simple Halloween activities for my kids to enjoy. Even better…they love it too! Today, I want to share a few fun and simple Halloween activities that you can do with your child, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or even your neighbor’s kids!

Fun and simple Halloween activities for kids

What do you think of when you think of Halloween? Spiders and ghosts and witches, oh my! These are some of our favorite spooky things, so of course, we need to include them in some fun Halloween sensory play. Read on if you want to wow your kids and have a little fun!

1. Shaving cream ghosts

Shaving cream ghosts are probably the most simple of these Halloween activities for kids, but one of the most loved. Prep for this activity is super easy. All you need is a can or two of shaving cream, some googly eyes and a tray. I have some cute plastic serving trays that I use for many of these activities.

For shaving cream ghosts, spray lots of shaving cream in the tray and toss in lots of different googly eyes of different sizes and colors. Have the kids put their hands in the shaving cream and come up with a ghost! The kids love the texture and the messiness of the shaving cream. It’s fun to see what kind of ghosts they create. For extra fun, you can add in little plastic spiders. Or use orange or green food coloring or liquid watercolor to make shaving cream pumpkins or Frankensteins.

2. Monster handprints

Monster handprints are another super simple and fun Halloween activity. For these, you need paper, paint, googly eyes, as well as glitter, glue, and stickers. Have your children make paint handprints on their paper. Then they can add googly eyes and stickers to create their own individual monsters. My kids used triangle stickers to give their monster hands sharp nails. Once the handprints have dried, you can use school glue to make fun designs and add glitter.

3. Fall leaves tree

Looking for more of a Fall activity? Use what nature’s provided to make a fall leaves tree. Take your kids outside for a nature walk and collect lots of colorful leaves. Use a large piece of paper to draw a simple tree. Then have your kids use school glue to decorate the tree. Hang it up to keep a little bit of the outdoors indoor! For more fun, you could collect other items like sticks, acorns, and pinecones to make a Fall wreath or collage.

4. Foaming spiders

Do you have a little more time on your hands for prep work? You should definitely make some foaming spiders! I found this activity years ago at Fun at Home with Kids. Your kids will love these cute spiders and the fun little surprise inside them!

To make the spiders, you will need baking soda, water, and food coloring. Mix about 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of water in a bowl (for colored spiders add a little food coloring or liquid watercolor to the water). Mix well until all of the baking soda is damp. Take a handful of the mixture and put some small plastic spiders inside. Then add more of the mixture to cover the spiders and round them out, making the spider’s abdomen. Cut four pipe cleaners in half and stick them in the spider’s abdomen to make eight legs. Then use the rest of the baking soda mixture to form the spider’s head. Once you have made all of your spiders, place them on wax paper and freeze them for a few hours. If you freeze them overnight, you will want to let them thaw slightly before playtime.

When you’re ready to play with these spiders, add some vinegar and a little bit of dish soap to a shallow dish. Mix it up and carefully add your spiders. The spiders will foam and start to dissolve! Watch as your children get super excited about this and find all the baby spiders!

5. Candy corn sensory play

Candy corn sensory play is another super simple, but very fun Halloween activity for kids. All you need for this activity is a tray, a few bags of candy corn, some plastic spiders and lots of small dishes, spoons, and scoops. I use the same plastic trays for this activity that we used for the shaving cream ghosts.

Simply dump candy corn and spiders into a tray and provide lots of scooping dishes and spoons to encourage sensory play. This is an activity that can easily be adapted by changing what you place in the tray (ideas: rubber eyeballs, gummy worms, squishy eyeballs, other Halloween candy, etc.). Encourage your child to sort objects, count objects, practice scooping, use tweezers to pick up objects, and more.

6. Witches stew

Witches stew is probably my kids’ favorite Halloween activity! This is a very simple idea, but is so fun and creative. For this activity, you first need to boil some spaghetti noodles. Add some orange or green food coloring or liquid watercolor for extra witchy fun. Then, gather up lots of random Halloween items like candy corn, plastic spiders, gooey eyeballs. Basically anything small you can find in the Halloween section at the store. You will also need a tray for your items, spoons, scoops, and bowls. Lastly, you will need some baking soda and vinegar for a little extra added fun. Years ago I came across a super cute witches caldron and we use it for this activity also.

Once you have all of your witch ingredients, have your kids grab their witch hats and get to work! The kids will love mixing all of the ingredients. The best part is adding the baking soda and vinegar to make the stew really fizz!

7. Ice ghosts

Ice ghosts is a fun activity that needs to be prepared ahead of time. To prepare them, simply mix one part water with two parts baking soda to create a damp mixture. Then place a bit into each hole of an ice tray and add googly eyes to each hole. Freeze for an hour or two. For playtime, put the ice ghosts in a shallow dish and give your child a little bowl of vinegar. We used tiny droppers to drop vinegar on the ghosts. The kids loved watching them fizz and slowly dissolve. One of the best parts was dropping the whole ghost into the bowl of vinegar to create tiny little volcanos.

8. Spider slime

Let’s face it, slime is fun all year round and it’s so easy to change it up for any holiday. Spider slime is probably one of my kids and my own favorites for Halloween. To make spider slime, all you need to do is use your favorite slime recipe and add plastic spiders!

My favorite slime recipe is made using two bottles of school glue (5 0z), about 10 ounces of water and 8 ounces of liquid starch. You can use clear school glue or colored school glue, depending on how you want your slime to look. In a large bowl, pour the two bottles of school glue and then add the water. Slowly add about half of the liquid starch and stir. Continue to slowly add liquid starch until the mixture soaks up the water and looks like a glob of goo. You may not need all of the liquid starch. Use your hands to knead the slime until it is not sticky. Last, add the spiders and get ready to play!

My kids love stretching out the slime and picking spiders from it, only to put them back in and start over. You can get creative with your slime by adding a little bit of glitter, using different colored glue, adding confetti or other small Halloween items.

9. Play-doh pumpkins

Play-doh pumpkins are super fun and an easy Halloween activity for kids. All you need is orange play-doh, green pipe cleaners, and little beads or pattern blocks. We have done this activity in a few different ways. We have made round pumpkins from the play-doh and we have also made flat pumpkins to decorate. Black beads are a simple tool to use to create the pumpkin faces. Another fun way to practice and play with shapes is to use pattern blocks for your pumpkin face. For extra fun, use a plastic fork to create lines and make your pumpkin look scarier!

This is such a simple activity that can be adapted in many ways. We have also used different colored play-doh, pipe cleaners and googly eyes to create play-doh monsters. This is one of my son’s favorites. You might even want to use green play-doh to make your own Frankenstein!

10. Wiggly monster eyes

Finally, our last fun and simple Halloween activity for kids is wiggly monster eyes. These are a hit because not only are they fun to play with, but they are edible! To make jiggly monster eyes you just need jello (your choice of color/flavor), raisins and plastic Easter eggs. Make the jello as directed and then you will pour it into one side of a plastic egg. Drop-in a raisin and place it in the fridge to get firm. When you pop them out of the shell solidified, they look like creepy eyeballs! That’s it! Dump the wiggly monster eyes into a shallow dish and let your kids play!

10 Easy Halloween activities for kids

And there you have it! 10 super fun and easy Halloween activities for kids. These activities are easy to put together and can be adapted and made into your own. Get creative and have fun!

What Halloween activities are you going to try with your kids this year?

Brandi
Maryland
@brandimarkham

Hello, I’m Brandi! My husband & I live just outside of Washington, DC with our three littles. They are my favorite people in the world & my biggest inspiration. I am a full-time elementary teacher & a part-time photographer, but mostly I enjoy photography as a hobby. I love chocolate, animals, & nature! Summer is my favorite because we get to spend all of our time outdoors!

For more from Brandi, check out all her RWMC posts.
GARDENING, GOOD FOR NATURE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SUMMER
Quick & Easy Kid-Friendly Snacks from the Garden
- October 15, 2019
It may officially be fall, but the plants in my garden are still going strong! We’ve got heirloom and cherry tomatoes for days, squash and carrots that are still growing and lots of herbs, onions, and potatoes! We’ve talked extensively on this website about the benefits of gardening with children and how fun and easy it can be to grow fruits, veggies, and flowers. And while it’s an absolute blast to dig in the dirt and care for your plants, the real fun comes when you get to eat them! Today, we have Wisconsin mom, photographer, and homesteader Brandi Rondinelli here sharing four quick and easy ways to make kid-friendly snacks from the garden. These snacks are the perfect way for you to enjoy the fruits of all your hard work with the kids in a healthy, easy, and delicious way!

Gardening with kids

There is nothing more rewarding than growing your own food! Am I right or am I right? Having the ability to go into your yard and gather food for dinner, lunch and snacks is so neat! It’s a novelty that still amazes me every year. And my kids love it just as much as I do! The whole gardening process is an amazing experience for both kids and adults. From choosing the plants we want to grow to planning the garden and then carefully planting the seeds, my kids are involved in the process from day one. They love having a say about what we’ll grow, and they learn so much about the life cycle of plants.

Watching the sprouts come in and tending to each plant daily over the course of the summer is also quite an experience for the kids. We love taking care of our plants, nurturing them, and singing to them. But in my opinion, harvesting your crop of fruits and vegetables is my favorite part of the process! There’s nothing like biting into a strawberry you grew with love or serving a meal to your family that you took care of together.

Benefits of gardening with kids

There are so many amazing benefits of gardening with kids. Creating a garden with your children is a wonderful way to spend quality time with them outside and teach them about nature and the environment. Kids get the benefits of fresh air, sunshine, and outdoor activity. It teaches them responsibility for caring for living things by watering, pruning, weeding, and fertilizing. Gardening teaches them patience and tenacity. It makes them think about where their food is coming from and encourages them to eat healthy. Planting a garden is a cheap and easy activity that educates and nourishes. It’s a great life skill, and of course, it’s fun!

Easy kid-friendly snacks from the garden

My kids love being part of the gardening process, but they really get excited about our harvesting days. When our plants are ready, we’ll spend the whole day harvesting, canning\storing & eating all of our goodies! Just the pure joy on their faces pulling out the carrots that they’ve watched grow for months is worth every dirty fingernail. I definitely try to transfer this excitement about harvesting into eating our haul! Here are a couple of quick and easy ways that we make kid-friendly snacks from the garden.

Straight from the garden snack ideas

My favorite way to eat the goodies from our garden is straight off the plant, outside in the sunshine! There’s something absolutely divine about plucking a cherry tomato off the vine and tasting the warm sweetness of it! It’s heavenly, and I highly recommend you try it! There are so many different fruits and veggies you can plant that you can eat straight from the garden, with little to no prep work. Here are a few kid-approved snack ideas straight from the garden!
- sliced cucumbers
- strawberries
- cherry tomatoes
- sugar snap peas
- green beans
- bell peppers
Tips for enjoying veggies straight from the garden

Letting kids eat veggies straight out of the garden can be a fun and educational experience, but it’s important to ensure their safety and health. Here are some tips for parents:
1. Thoroughly Wash the Vegetables: Even if they’re homegrown, you may want to wash the vegetables to remove dirt, insects, and any potential contaminants. Use clean, running water, and consider using a vegetable brush for root vegetables like carrots and potatoes.
2. Teach Proper Handling: Show kids how to properly pick and handle vegetables to avoid damaging plants and ensure cleanliness. Encourage them to use clean hands or tools.
3. Inspect for Pests: Check vegetables for signs of pest infestation. While some insects are harmless, others can carry diseases. Remove any insects before consumption.
4. Avoid Chemical Pesticides: If you use any pesticides in your garden, ensure they are safe for food crops and follow the recommended waiting period before harvesting. Organic and natural pest control methods are often safer for gardens where children will be eating the produce directly.
5. Supervise Younger Children: Always supervise younger children to ensure they’re not eating plants or parts of plants that aren’t safe for consumption. Educate them on which vegetables are safe to eat and which are not.
6. Introduce Gradually: If your children are not used to eating raw vegetables, introduce them gradually to avoid any digestive discomfort. Start with small quantities and observe how they react.
7. Emphasize Cleanliness: Encourage good hygiene by having kids wash their hands before and after handling garden produce.
8. Educate on Edible Parts: Teach kids about which parts of the plant are edible and which are not. For example, tomato leaves and stems are not edible, while the fruit is.
9. Be Aware of Allergies: Keep an eye out for any allergic reactions, especially if it’s a new vegetable your child is trying for the first time. Consult with your pediatrician if you have concerns about food allergies.
10. Use Safe Water Sources: Ensure the water source used for your garden is safe and clean, as contaminated water can transfer pathogens to your vegetables.
By following these tips, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for your children as they explore and enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of their gardening efforts.

Kale chips from the garden

One of our favorite super easy kid-friendly snacks from the garden is kale chips! We plant kale in the spring and pick handfuls of it throughout the summer for chips, salads and side dishes. The kids loves making kale chips and we try to keep it around all the time for a quick easy grab-and-go snack that’s healthy and delicious. The recipe couldn’t be easier and within minutes of picking, you have a tasty snack for the whole family!

Kale chip cooking directions:
1. Rip the kale into small/medium pieces and place in a large bowl
2. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the kale (be sure not to drench as they will end up soggy)
3. Add salt or seasoning of your choice (e.g. garlic salt, ranch seasoning packet, etc.)
4. Toss to coat
5. Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for about 8 minutes or until crispy
6. Enjoy!
Juicing from the garden

Juicing is another wonderful way to incorporate your garden goodies into kid-friendly snacks from the garden. Making our own juice is one of our favorite ways to get more fruits and vegetables into our meals. The benefits of juicing are plenty! From lowering cholesterol to building your immune system, boosting your energy and improving digestion. But the best part about juicing is that it’s so easy! You can use whatever you have on hand. Feel free to throw in fruits and veggies from your garden, but also anything you have in the fridge (not from your garden).

There are a million different juice recipes and you can customize any of them to your taste or needs. If you grow celery, you can juice just celery for some amazing benefits! Carrots with beets, cucumbers and kale make a great juice, using all ingredients from your garden.

One of our favorite green juice recipes is made by blending the following: 2 apples, 2 bunches of kale, 1 thumb of ginger, 2 cucumbers, 1.5 lemons, 1/2 a pineapple, and 6 oz of water. Oh man, this one is good! It’s green, but the kids love it!

Garden herb-infused water for kids

Herbs are another fun plant to include in your garden and use in various ways. You can use herbs for seasoning meals, making teas, infused oils and even soaps, if you are feeling creative 🙂 This year, we grew the following herbs: Mint, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender, Sage, and Basil. We used all of these herbs in so many different ways, either fresh from the garden or dried for later use.

One of our favorite ways to incorporate fresh herbs into our diet is to make herb-infused drinks for the kids. The subtle flavors of infused water are so much better for kids and adults than the overly sweet flavor of most juices. Also, most fruit juice also contains a lot of sugar, which you avoid with infused waters.

There are so many great combinations of fruits, vegetables and herbs to add to water to make it more fun and flavorful. Infused water is best 2 to 4 hours after you’ve made it. Or, you can let it infuse overnight in the refrigerator. Here are few delicious and herb-infused waters for kids:
- cucumbers and rosemary
- basil and strawberries
- lemon (or lime) and mint
- orange slices and basil
- honeydew and mint
- watermelon and basil
- red pepper, pineapple and basil
- apple and thyme
More garden snacks for kids

Here are a few more creative ways kids can eat and enjoy vegetables from the garden. These ideas can help make vegetables more appealing and enjoyable for kids while incorporating the freshness and nutrition of garden-grown produce.
1. Veggie Sticks with Dips:
  - Slice cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, and celery into sticks.
  - Serve with a variety of dips like hummus, ranch, or yogurt-based dips.
2. Homemade Veggie Chips:
  - Thinly slice vegetables like zucchini, sweet potatoes, or beets.
  - Toss with a little olive oil and bake until crispy.
3. Garden Fresh Salsa:
  - Combine diced tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and cilantro.
  - Add a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt for a fresh salsa to enjoy with chips or as a topping.
4. Veggie-Packed Smoothies:
  - Blend spinach or kale with fruits like bananas, strawberries, and a splash of juice or milk.
  - Add a spoonful of honey for sweetness if needed.
5. Zucchini Bread or Muffins:
  - Incorporate grated zucchini into a bread or muffin recipe.
  - These can be a sweet and healthy snack or dessert.
6. Stuffed Peppers:
  - Hollow out bell peppers and fill with a mixture of quinoa, black beans, corn, and cheese.
  - Bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
7. Cucumber Sandwiches:
  - Slice cucumbers into rounds and use them as a base for mini sandwiches.
  - Add fillings like cream cheese, smoked salmon, or turkey slices. Serve them at a fun outdoor tea party!
8. Veggie Pizza:
  - Top a pizza crust with tomato sauce, cheese, and an assortment of garden vegetables like cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and spinach.
  - Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
9. Carrot Cake:
- - Use freshly grated carrots in a homemade carrot cake recipe.
  - This can be a delicious dessert that sneaks in some extra veggies.
Garden snacks for kids

I can’t tell you enough how much I love gardening with my kids and enjoying the fruits of our labor together (pun intended). I highly recommend that you try gardening with your kids so you can enjoy so many of the wonderful benefits. If you don’t have the room or the time to maintain a large garden, there are still options, like indoor potted plants, window sill herb gardens and community gardens. Kids will reap benefits from even the tiniest of gardens, so don’t let size stop you. I hope your little ones like these kid-friendly snacks from the garden as much as mine do!

What’s your favorite way to eat from your garden?

About the author

I’m a wife, published photographer & mother of two little wolves. We are a homesteading family & love everything about the outdoors. We have traveled all around Wisconsin and hiked 21 state parks in just 2 years. From raising chickens, kids, having a full garden & a photography business, you could say we stay busy but we always have time for an adventure and new memories.

You can find Brandi online in the following locations:
Instagram: @motherhenshomestead
Website: http://www.soulshinephotographer.com
Run Wild My Child posts: Brandi Rondinelli
BOOKS, CRAFTS, FALL, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, OUTDOORS INSIDE
5 Fantastic Fall Books and Activities for Kids
- October 7, 2019
Fall is definitely in the air! One of our favorite ways to usher in a new season is to read books about the changing weather and what we can look forward to. We’re always on the lookout for fun books and ways to make outdoor learning exciting, so today’s post is a win-win. We have the amazing Chelsea, Virginia photographer, former teacher, and adventure mom of two, here sharing her family’s 5 favorite fall books and activities for kids. Not only are each of these books beautiful and fun to read, but they’re paired with awesome nature-inspired crafts and activities that are guaranteed to keep your kids entertained, active, and learning!

Favorite fall books and activities for outdoor kids

Fall is starting to make an appearance here in southeastern Virginia and we couldn’t be more excited! In our house, we love to match the books we’re reading to the current season or approaching holidays. We recently took a trip to our local library to check out almost every book in the fall children’s book section to kick-start fall. Today, I’m sharing some of our favorite fall children’s books and providing a fun family activity to do with each book. Whether you’re a homeschooler, a parent of children not yet in school, or a parent of school-aged kids, these fall books and activities will be sure to enrich your child’s learning while fully embracing the beauty of the season!

Choosing the books

In order to choose the best books possible, I used a VERY official and scientific method of measurement. My kids. We checked out a dozen fall nature-inspired books from our local library and read them all. If they asked to read a book again the instant we finished, it passed the test. I kept the ones they wanted to read multiple times and returned the rest! Here are 5 of our favorite fall books and an activity to go with each one!

Book 1: Because of an Acorn by Adam and Lola M. Schaefer

Because of an Acorn is a wonderful fall book about how all living things are connected. You’ll love both the story and the illustrations! Children are often amazed that giant oak trees all start as tiny little acorns. The book does a great job of showing how every tree, plant and animal in the forest are connected and tied to each other.

Activity: Acorn characters

Once you’re finished reading the book, take a little nature walk to collect some acorns, caps and tiny sticks. While you’re out exploring, you can discuss what kind of trees produce acorns and how to identify them! My kids had fun looking up at the leaves on each tree to see which ones were oaks and then looking around on the ground below to see if any acorns had dropped.

Once you get home, use your treasures to make little characters! We used tacky glue but I’m sure many different kinds of glue will work. If you have very small children, you may want to have them lay out the character and then leave the gluing part to a grownup! Once your characters are dry, you can draw on eyes if you’d like and then head back out into the woods to create tiny houses for them! You can break this activity up into multiple days or take a whole afternoon for it! The kids will have so much fun creating little families and then using imaginative play to make them come to life. And the best part is all that wonderful fresh fall air you’ll get from the time spent outside!

Book 2: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Shultz

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a childhood classic! Linus, Charlie and the rest of the Peanuts gang await the arrival of the Great Pumpkin on Halloween night. I wasn’t surprised that my kids really loved this one, because they love any Peanuts book! This book’s been around so long that it’s not only a new favorite of theirs, but a classic favorite of mine from childhood. I love being able to share that with them.

Activity: Painted rocks

In the story, one of the Peanuts characters gets rocks instead of treats during trick-or-treating, so we decided to go collect some rocks to paint. Once the boys had found the perfect rocks, we took them home, rinsed them, and dried them. Then we used acrylic paints to decorate them like pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns. Once they were dry, we headed to a park nearby to hide the rocks in fun places to be discovered by others! My kids are always excited when they find painted rocks at our park so we decided to keep that ball of fun rolling by placing some of our own there for other kids to enjoy.

Book 3: Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Stumpkin is the cutest little book about a pumpkin with no stem that never gets picked to be purchased and brought home. My kids love wordplay and making up words by putting other words together, so they were already hooked by the title. They really loved the illustrations and asked to take extra time on each page to enjoy the pictures. This one was a big hit!

Activity: Jack-o-lantern volcanoes

Once you’re finished with Stumpkin, a fun activity to do with the kids is to carve small pumpkins and then make “volcanoes” out of them. If you’ve enjoy doing science/STEM experiments at home, you’ve probably already used baking soda and vinegar for other projects. But have you ever watched the chemical reaction take place inside a jack-o-lantern?! It’s so much fun! The kids will love watching the bubbles come out of all the holes. In addition to the baking soda and vinegar, we also used some dish soap because I had read that it bubbles up more and I do think it worked!

Book 4: Fall Leaves by Loretta Holland

Fall Leaves is a really gorgeous picture book about the beauty of this magical season. Part poetry and part silent pages, this book showcases just how pretty fall is when the leaves change color and the whole world turns red, orange and yellow.

Activity: Fall leaf art project

This activity is so much fun and goes perfectly with the beautiful artwork in the Fall Leaves book! It’s also really easy and the kids loved it. Head out on a nature hunt to find different colored fall leaves. Once you’ve collected some, head back home to make your art.

Leaf art supplies:
- water color paints
- paintbrushes
- water
- straws
- paper
- glue
- the leaves you’ve collected
Once you have the supplies, instruct the children to use the paintbrush to get lots of water and some paint on the brush. Then have them make a “puddle” of water on the bottom of their paper. Use the straw to blow the water upward and out to make the trunk and branches of a tree.

When they’re finished with the trunk and branches, have them pick their favorite leaves to glue onto the branches. This project is great for building and developing fine motor skills, so feel free to have them create more than one tree!

Book 5: Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn is another beautiful book about the changing seasons. In this book, a young girl takes a walk through forest and town, greeting all the signs of the coming autumn season. In a series of conversations with every flower and creature and gust of wind, she says good-bye to summer and welcomes autumn.

Activity: Fall leaf art with crayons

If you’re like us, you have all sorts of old, broken crayons hanging around the house! These projects are a great way to use up some of those crayons. They’re also perfect activities for families who live in areas that don’t have season changes! You don’t need to use any real fall leaves for these projects but can still make some art that celebrates the autumn season. Both of these actives are a throwback to my own childhood and were very nostalgic for me! It was fun doing some activities with the kids that I did when I was a kid!

Option 1 – melted crayon shaving leaves

For the first crayon art project, you’ll need:
- a cloth towel
- crayons
- a vegetable peeler or scissors
- wax paper
- an iron
- construction paper
Obviously, with that list of supplies, it’s important for an adult to be around to help out with the project! Depending on how old your kids are, you’ll either have them make crayon shavings using whatever tool you have around, or you’ll have them pick the colors and you can do the shavings for them. Put all the shavings in a pile and set aside.

Next, use construction paper to cut out the trunk and branches of a tree (or several!). You will use it to create a fall scene on the wax paper. You can do one tree with some construction paper grass, multiple trees, whatever you like! Once you have the parts of your scene cut out from construction paper, place them on a sheet of wax paper to begin creating your fall scene.

After the construction paper parts are in place, have your child take the crayon shavings and sprinkle them wherever they want fall leaves to be. Once everything is where you want it to be, place a second sheet of wax paper on top. Then place the towel on top of everything. Use a hot iron (job for a grownup!) to seal the two pieces of wax paper together. This will also create a beautiful effect with the crayon shavings because it will melt them together! So much fun!

Option 2 – leaf rubbings

The second fall art activity you could do with crayons is make leaf rubbings! My kids LOVE doing this. It’s such a simple, timeless activity. When the kids see the leaf prints starting to appear, they light up with joy! My kids could do a hundred leaf rubbings and still be excited every time they see the leaf print appearing on the paper.

If you’ve never done this before, you only need some paper (computer paper works great), crayons, and leaves! Any leaves will do – they don’t have to be fall-colored. Place the leaf underneath the sheet of paper, hold it down carefully, and rub the SIDE part of an unwrapped crayon back and forth on top of the paper. You’ll see the shape of the leaf appearing on the paper! Leave them on the larger sheets of paper or cut them out. As my kids would say- easy, peasy, lemon-squeezy!

Favorite fall books and activities for kids

And there you have it! 5 beautiful fall books and activities for kids. Not only will you and the kids love these beautiful books, but the accompanying activities are some that the whole family will enjoy! This should definitely keep your little ones active, inspired, and excited about reading and nature.

What’s your favorite fall book for kids?

About the author

Hi there, I’m Chelsea! I’m a photographer, mother of two busy boys, and sunshine and fresh air addict. We live in Virginia Beach, Virginia and spend as much time outdoors as we possibly can! We spend most of our time exploring the beach, inlets, and nature trails nearby. We love biking, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, building forts, and playing in the sand! During the warm months, you can find us enjoying the Chesapeake Bay almost every night until long after the sun goes down. We’re doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint and always try to leave every trail cleaner than it was when we arrived.

You can find Chelsea online in the following locations:
Instagram: @dimples.and.the.blonde
Client work: @chelsea.lyn.photography
Website: dimplesandtheblonde.com

More RWMC posts from Chelsea:
FALL, HIKE, INFORMATION, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
How to Get Kids Outside During the School Year
- October 2, 2019
It’s that time of year again – our children are trading in their beach towels for backpacks and holding pencils more than sidewalk chalk. Whether you homeschool or traditional school, back-to-school generally means less free time and fewer hours to play outside. Not only that, but the days are growing shorter and the weather’s turning cooler. Getting kids outside during the school year can be a challenge. However, spending time outside in nature is still necessary for our kids’ physical health, mental focus, and emotional development. Today, the amazing Leslie Alvis, Ohio homeschooling mom of four, is here sharing a few ideas for practical ways to build outdoor routines into your school days. Hopefully, these tips will help you incorporate more nature into your busy schedule without making outdoor time feel like one more thing on your to-do list.

Make nature time a priority

Whether back to school means a traditional school program for you or homeschooling with a flexible schedule, days become extra busy as you settle into a fall routine. Many of us have kids involved in extra-curricular activities and sports. It’s easy to feel like we don’t have enough time for nature exploration during the school year. However, a busy schedule doesn’t mean the outdoor adventures have to stop! In fact, I think it should help us make nature time even more of a priority. We’re here to show you how to get kids outside during the school year.

Our kids need us to help them balance the demands of school with the freedom of childhood and the wonder of exploring outdoors. Formal education is necessary, but children also require time outside for proper growth and development. Ginny Yurich, author, educator, and founder of the 1000 Hours Outside movement, says,

Nature play facilitates growth in every area, making time outside a crucial part of the landscape of childhood.”

Time outside matters

Time spent outdoors doesn’t always have to be done in giant hour+ long chunks. Even on busy days, there are many ways to get our kids outside for short amounts of time, which still have huge benefits for kids. A quick break to explore outside helps break up the mental stress of school. While a long hike or bike ride gives them a chance to catch their breath mentally while also strengthening their bodies, sometimes a short walk/ride around the neighborhood is just what they need. Weekend adventures provide fun and memories for the whole family, but short outings to a local park are great for when you don’t have tons of time. Our family tries to include a mix of these different activities throughout the school year to keep us all enjoying the great outdoors, no matter our schedules or the weather. Time outside gives us space to breathe and the freedom to explore.

Take walks to get kids outside

Walks are one of the easiest ways to get kids outside and moving! A family walk can happen anywhere, anytime. It doesn’t have to take long or have the perfect setting. Just look around at what you do each day and see if you can link a walk into that activity. Walk to the bus stop. Stroll to get the mail. Wander to the end of the street…around the block…down a country lane.

As homeschoolers, we work a daily walk into our school routine as our recess. Sometimes we do it when the lessons are dragging long, or sometimes as soon as the school day is finished. But at some point, we grab the bikes, scooters, and stroller (and the dog! Our neighbors call us a parade!) and head outside for some fresh air and exercise. The time out in nature is good for us all. I’m pretty sure it’s all that saves my sanity on some long winter days.

When you get your kids outside to take a walk, you’re not only getting active together, but you are also exploring and observing nature together. My kids never fail to find something wonderful to point out to me on our walks. The bunny that’s always lurking near the vacant lot on the next street over. A brilliantly colored leaf or flower. A puffy cloud.

There are a world of discoveries from every sidewalk, driveway, and walking trail. Sometimes we have more time to linger and wander than others, but wherever we are outside, we see amazing and beautiful parts of the natural world. Getting kids outdoors on a walk is a great way to tailor-fit a quick nature adventure to your family’s busy schedule.

Evening adventures get kids outside

Sometimes our days get really full and busy. I try to plan at least one evening (or late afternoon as the days grow shorter) each week to intentionally get outside! Look at your schedules and find an hour somewhere in the week to go have a little outdoor adventure. Play at the park. Walk in the woods. Blow bubbles. Get some friends together to play frisbee or hide-and-seek together in the lingering twilight. Again, this doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just requires you being intentional about making time for your family to breathe in the fresh air and explore nature together. You won’t be sorry you did!

Take kids’ school outside

Another way to get kids outside after school is simply to take the lessons or homework outside! Before you discard that idea as impractical and impossible, I challenge you to give it a try. When the weather is nice, set up a school/homework station on the porch, the backyard or in the tree fort. Let your older students take their reading up in their favorite tree. Pack up the backpacks and snacks and go sit in a picnic area at a park. There are so many ways to help kids take their schoolwork outside!

Yes, you may have to keep tabs on them and make sure they aren’t totally distracted from their work. But honestly, most of the time kids will buckle down and get their book work done when they realize all the many other things they would rather be doing outside! And wouldn’t you rather have your kids distracted by the mystery of the cicadas and the falling leaves than sitting inside glancing at a computer or television?

We are a second-generation homeschooling family. I grew up hauling my textbooks outside every chance I got. I loved it. (This probably contributes to the feeling of claustrophobia when I’m stuck indoors.) It motivates me to give my own children the same opportunities to get outside in all seasons, doing all kinds of things. Even schoolwork.

Outdoor learning

Whether you homeschool or not, there are a lot of ways to extend learning outside. When you step out into nature, everything around you is a science lesson, art lesson and history lesson. Studying the beauty of nature gives inspiration to every kind of art. Observing the mysteries of the natural world naturally leads to questions and learning about plants, animals and how things have changed over time. Time spent in nature is never time wasted. So, when your days are busy with school schedules and extra-curricular activities, don’t forget that time in nature is an essential part of your children’s education, too.

Look for ways to include outdoor time as part of school! Choose a nature-based science fair project. Conduct your own STEM activities outside using nature. Help your kids study the weather, the seasons, the natural world around them. Volunteer in your child’s classroom to take them outside to work in the school garden or go for a nature walk. Incorporating education into your outdoors time is one of the best ways to make sure you are getting your kids outside after school starts.

Picnics get kids outside

Is the sun shining? Is the sky so blue it takes your breath away? What about the breeze that’s the perfect combination of crisp air and gentle warmth? Take advantage of the lovely fall weather and have a picnic! Take PB&J sandwiches on a hike. Order pizza delivery to your favorite local park. Or build a campfire in your backyard and cook hot dogs and s’mores. Kids don’t need fancy food—they need time outdoors and memories with their families. Impromptu meals outside on a gorgeous day are some of my favorite times with my kids.

Weekend adventures get kids outside

Another way to get kids outside during the school year is to plan weekend adventures! We all know that sometimes if we don’t make plans to do something, it just won’t happen. So, grab your calendar and make some plans. Pick a Saturday afternoon and go explore that state park. Find a new bike trail and spend a few hours on it. Go hiking together, or just go have a picnic at a nearby park. Find a local corn maze or fall festival and enjoy some outdoor fun. Pull your family loose from the tug of school schedules and obligations and make some memories together.

Weather

Just a quick note on the impact weather can have on your fall activities. Cooler days, shorter evenings, and more rain can make planning an outing challenging. Getting caught in a summer shower can be fun. But getting caught in the rain in October can be miserable. Especially if you aren’t dressed for it. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, so be prepared! Check the weather often and look for days that will suit your family and the activity you are planning. Take advantage of those gorgeous sunny days and enjoy nature to its fullest!

Don’t let bad weather keep you from getting your kids outside this fall. Sometimes the wind is unexpectedly biting. Sometimes it pours rain every time you plan a nature outing. Several times we’ve planned for an all-day outdoor adventure and had to do it in chilly, incessant rain. Honestly, that makes memories, too! Sometimes they’re the best memories! Just remember that your attitude sets the tone for dealing with the unexpected or inconvenient. Oftentimes, kids don’t mind wet feet and pants as much as adults do. And a cup of hot chocolate can turn a chilly experience into a delightful adventure for a kid!

Need more fall ideas?

As we mentioned, sometimes planning an outdoor activity and making it a priority is half the battle. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas of things you can do outside this fall as a family, we’ve got a great list of 100+ outdoor fall activities for kids and families. This list should give you all kinds of inspiration for easy and quick nature crafts to outdoor adventures, STEM experiments and more.

How do you get your kids outside during the school year?

Hi, I’m Leslie Alvis! I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, wife to my high school sweetheart and best friend, and a mom to four rascally kids. They love the great outdoors as much as I do, and our yard often feels like the scene from “The Sound of Music” where you hear voices and laughter and can’t find any children until you look up into the trees. I love writing, photography, and all things outdoors. We live in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Amish Country, where it’s perfectly normal to park beside a horse and buggy at the grocery store. We also homeschool, which basically means that I’m trying to teach my kids to use their minds without losing my own. While we follow a traditional curriculum, I weave every outdoor adventure I can into our educational journey. I believe that the lessons children experience firsthand sink deepest into their hearts and minds, and there is so much we can learn outside in the beauty and wonder of nature.

Find Leslie on Instagram @c_l_allofus
CRAFTS, FALL, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Nature Craft: DIY Moth Wings Tutorial
- September 23, 2019
Are you ready for the most gorgeous fall nature craft project? I’m so excited to share today’s post from our uber-talented Creative Team member Tiffany Griffin. Tiffany is here with an incredible DIY moth wings tutorial for kids. This project is simpler than you might expect and guaranteed to make any little kid’s imagination go wild! These gorgeous wings are the perfect addition to any outdoor adventure. They can be made from materials you probably already have in your craft closet and yard. While the subtle moth wings are a perfect project for fall, this DIY nature wing tutorial can also be changed and adapted for any season based on what’s available in your location.

* This project was inspired by the beautiful flower butterfly wings created by the amazing Johanna Bless of @blessnestlearning. Her full tutorial can be found at woodlarkblog.com.

Give your child wings

There’s something absolutely magical about creating something together with your child that helps foster and inspire their love for nature. If you’re anything like me, you probably love craft projects that get your kids outside and also give them the freedom to be masters of their own creation. It’s hard letting go of control of craft projects, especially when we have a pre-set idea of how the project should turn out.

However, oftentimes I’ve found that the more freedom and flexibility I give my children to create on their own, the more I’m dazzled by their imagination and impressed with their skills of observation. This project started off as an attempt to make butterfly wings, but took a turn in a different direction, inspired by a moth we found and studied one day. As you work through this project with your kids, I encourage you to give them the reigns and let them design wings of their own choosing.

Materials

For this tutorial, anything not found in nature can probably be found lying around your backyard and craft closet. If not – a local craft store should carry everything you need! Some materials are optional for an added touch of make-believe magic. Here are the items you will need for your DIY moth wings:
- gathered leaves/foilage
- dried flowers
- 2 large feathers
- scissors
- ribbon/cord/string/elastic for wings
- 1 roll of clear contact paper
- piece of foam/driftwood/bark/cardboard (something to secure the wings to – can use anything but try to make it lightweight)
- hot glue gun
- faux fur/felt/moss
- headband
- pen/permanent marker
- packing tape
DIY moth wings instructions

As I mentioned, these wings are easier to make than I expected. And they turned out to be so incredibly beautiful! My daughter absolutely loves them and is so proud to tell everyone she sees that she helped make them. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on just how we created these beautiful DIY moth wings for kids.

1. Get outside and gather

The first thing to do is get outside and gather your materials! We chose to use leaves in various colors (red, yellow, green and brown. Feel free to incorporate whatever you can find in your area, based on the time of year. Fall leaves work great for creating a moth-like wing, but feel free to incorporate bright colored wildflowers for a summer butterfly. We found that the best leaves were ones that were freshly dropped. They stuck to the contact paper best. Dried out crunchy leaves left no room for error if you have to readjust them on your contact paper! Gather quite a few leaves of various shapes, sizes and colors. Remember you need enough to cover two wings!

2. Contact paper setup & drawing

Unroll your contact paper (clear side up). Measure your child to determine how long to make the wings. I recommend sizing from your child’s neck to their knees. Once your desired length is achieved for your child, secure the paper with tape to the table. This will keep the contact paper from moving. Use a pen (or permanent marker) to draw out the shape of one wing starting from the left or right side of your contact paper. I recommend using a ballpoint pen so if you need to re-do your wing – you do not have to start over! The pen rubs right off! Once you’re satisfied with the shape of the wing, cut the shape out using the scissors.

3. Trace & repeat

Lay your cut wing on your contact paper facing the opposite direction (mirror) and trace your second wing. Cut out the wing shape with scissors.

4. Peel & secure

Remove the taped corners of the contact paper of both wings from the table and flip them over so that the wax side is up. Carefully, pull back the backing (waxy side) of the contact paper from both wings. Don’t throw away the backing yet! You’ll use that in a minute (see Step 6 below). Secure the corners of the wings to the table with tape. Now, your contact paper should be sticky side up and ready for adding leaves and flowers!

5. Add embellishments

Now is the fun part! Place your leaves and flowers on the contact paper inside the wing outline. Make sure to press them down as flat as possible! Have your kids choose patterns that mimic those they find on real butterflies and moths, or let them make-up their own. You can encourage kids to create mirror image wings or two totally separately decorated (and complimentary!) wings. Whatever you choose to do, allow their creativity to shine.

6. Trace the backing

Use the backing of the previously cut-out wings to trace another set of wings on the Contact paper. These wings will serve as the top layer to the wings with the embellishments on them. Cut them out and remove backing. Very carefully, place the wing directly on top of your newly decorated wing sealing in your leaves/flowers. Do this with both sides!

7. Prep your foam

If you’re using a foam piece for the center of the wings, consider covering it with some faux fur or moss or something natural-looking. We used a hot glue gun to secure a piece of faux fur to our foam to give it a natural look, like a moth. If you don’t have foam, you could also use a piece of driftwood or bark, a bundle of sticks or a piece of cardboard or wood.

8. Prep the wings

Using your hot glue gun, run a long line of hot glue down the center seam of each wing and secure to the centerpiece (of foam, wood or what-have-you). Glue each of the wings to the foam and hold securely in place until they cool. Allow them to dry. Next, cut out four 20 inch pieces of string/ribbon/elastic. Flip the (foam) base over and use your glue gun to secure 3-4 inches of string on to the back of the foam on each corner allowing the extra lenth to lay vertical while it dries. This will create two loops for your child’s arms.

9. Make the antennae

If you want to go above and beyond, you can create some really cool head antennae to go along with your wings. All you need to do is use the hot glue gun to glue two large feathers onto a headband to create awesome moth antennas! This gives your get-up a little something extra!

10. Take your wings for a test flight!

The last thing to do is tie your DIY moth wings on and watch your little one FLY! Seeing your child love and enjoy their hard work is by far the best part of any craft. Hopefully, this fun project will inspire lots of wonderful conversation and curiosity about our winged friends. Encourage your child to take flight, like the moth. Have them mimic butterfly behaviors and find their favorite foods. Allow their creativity to shine and nurture their love for nature along the way.

About the author

Tiffany is a homeschooling mama of three earthside children and one baby girl that travels among the stars. She is a vintage obsessed, wicker collecting, tree-loving photographer, creator, painter, writer and loves to document her children’s childhood and is passionate about sharing her take on motherhood, raising children outside of the “norm” and in nature.

You can find more from Tiffany online in the following locations:
@wild.things.grow
ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, GARDENING, GOOD FOR NATURE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SUMMER
How to Plant a Butterfly Garden with Your Child
- August 19, 2019
The joy of digging in the dirt, growing flowers, and watching butterflies alight on fragrant blooms make growing a butterfly garden a magical summertime activity for kids of all ages. Today, we have the amazing outdoor adventure mom Josée, from The Backwoods Mama, here teach us all about why butterflies matter, what flower they’re attracted to and how to help butterflies thrive by planting a butterfly garden with your child. Planting a butterfly garden is a wonderful project for children of all ages. And you don’t have to have a lot of space; you can grow a butterfly garden nearly anywhere!

The butterfly is a flying flower, The flower a tethered butterfly.” – Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun

A budding interest in flowers and butterflies

“Maman, look! It’s a butterfly!” my daughter exclaimed with delight.

A beautiful tiger swallowtail alighted on a flower in our garden. We quietly watched as the butterfly sipped nectar and then fluttered away on the warm summer breeze.

Flowers and butterflies have been the topic of many conversations in our home lately. It all started when my children received a special parcel with fifteen tiny little painted lady caterpillars. As those little caterpillars, grew so did our collection of library books on butterflies and flowers. Soon, we were making lists of flowers that butterflies like and making trips to our local garden centre. We had decided to plant a butterfly garden for our soon to hatch painted ladies.

Why do butterflies matter?

Butterflies are some of the most beautiful insects on our planet. Their delicate wings dance like flowers in the wind. However, butterflies are much more than pretty bugs; they are very important for healthy habitats.

Butterflies are crucial pollinators. Some plants, like milkweed, depend on butterflies to help them reproduce. Butterflies are also an important food source for birds, amphibians, reptiles and other creatures. Butterflies are even considered an “indicator” species because they are very sensitive to changes in habitat.

Sadly, the fragile butterfly is under threat because of habitat loss, climate change and pesticide use. Don’t despair! That’s where you and your child can help. Growing a butterfly garden helps butterflies by giving them food to eat and a safe place to rear their young.

Attractor flowers for butterflies

Did you know that butterflies can see the color red? It’s true! That’s why many butterflies prefer flowers that are bright red, orange and yellow. Butterflies also taste with their feet – yum!

Another interesting fact about butterflies is that they are picky eaters. Each species of butterfly has its own favorite flowers. However, despite their picky palate, there are many flowers that butterflies love. I have compiled a list below of twenty-five flowers that are sure to attract butterflies to your garden.

These butterfly attractor flowers listed below come in all shapes and sizes. Some will come back every year (perennials) and others will not (annuals). Remember, flowers behave in different ways. Some get really tall or very wide. Other like to spread everywhere. Mint and goldenrod send out runner roots and can very quickly take over an area. Plant these in containers or in areas that you don’t mind be taken over.

Also, some native flowers can be difficult to find. Milkweed is a native plant and can be difficult to find. Check local nurseries specializing in native plants. In our butterfly garden, we have a mix of sunflowers, zinnias, dianthus, cosmos, echinacea, marigold, veronica and yarrow. It’s beautiful chaos and butterflies love it.

25 flowers that attract butterflies
- Allium
- Aster
- Butterfly Bush
- Chrysanthemum
- Cosmo
- Daisy
- Dianthus
- Echinacea
- Goldenrod
- Joe pye weed
- Lantana
- Liatris
- Lupin
- Marigold
- Milkweed
- Mint
- Monarda
- Black Eyed Susan
- Nasturtium
- Snapdragon
- Sunflower
- Verbena
- Veronica
- Yarrow
- Zinnia
How to plant a butterfly garden

Planting a butterfly garden with your child is a wonderful way to connect with nature and help butterflies thrive. You don’t need a huge backyard or a large space to make a butterfly garden. If you don’t have a lot of room, don’t worry! A butterfly garden can come in all shapes and sizes. You can plant a butterfly garden in a pot on your balcony, in a hanging basket or in several containers along the sunny side of your home.

1. Choose a sunny spot

The location of your garden is more important than its size. Butterflies and flowers are sun-powered, so it’s important to plant your butterfly garden in a nice sunny spot. Make sure you also have access to water, whether that’s from rain, a sprinkler or a hose.

2. Gather your supplies

Once you’ve picked your sunny spot, make a list of supplies. You will need the following items:
- soil
- something (or somewhere) to plant your flowers in (container, pot or hanging basket)
- seeds or flowers to plant
- water
3. Select your flowers

My suggestion is to make a list of flowers that bring you and your child joy (from the list above) and take it to your local garden center, greenhouse or plant nursery. Find someone there that is happy to talk plants and offer you ideas for what kind of plants will work best for your space and climate.

Some things to think about when purchasing flowers are:
- Where are you going to plant your flowers?
- How much space do you have?
- Will the flowers come back every year (perennials) or not (annuals)?
- How much space will your flowers need?
- Will the flowers grow well in your climate?
- How big will your flowers get?
- How much water will the flowers need?
- Is it easier to grow this flower from seed or as a seedling?
4. Plant your flowers

Once you’ve selected your flowers, it’s time to get dirty! If you are planting your flowers from seed, it’s best to get them into the ground early in the season. For flower seedlings, plant them into your pot or into the ground as soon as possible. I find that it’s quite easy to forget about flower seedlings and have them accidentally dry up and die before being planted – oops!

Encourage your child to get their hands dirty and help with planting the flowers. Dirt is good for kids! And don’t forget to give your newly planted seeds and seedlings water so that they can grow.

5. Watch for butterflies

Once your flowers are planted, it’s time to sit back and enjoy your need butterfly garden. Set up a chair, blanket or reading nook near your flower garden and keep an eye out for some colorful butterfly friends with your child. Take out books from your local library about butterflies and enjoy some read-aloud time together. Maybe you will even want to rear your own butterflies!

Rearing your own butterflies

Butterflies have an amazing life-cycle called complete metamorphosis. This process has four stages: egg, caterpillar (larva), chrysalis (pupa) and butterfly (adult). It can be very difficult to see all four stages in nature which is why rearing butterflies in your home can be such a great learning opportunity.

These days it’s easy to find butterfly rearing kits from online education stores. One popular butterfly to rear is the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly. My kids reared their first butterflies this season and they just loved it.

What butterflies live in your area?
What types of flowers do they like to visit?

About the author

Hello! Bonjour! I’m Josée. I am a nature lover, blogger, photographer and homeschooler. I live in the sunny Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada with my husband and my three children. We are avid rock climbers, hikers, campers, skiers and adventure seekers. We love exploring new places, both near and far, and enjoy getting outside whatever the weather. I believe in the beauty of raising wild children!

You can find more about Josée and her adventures at http://www.backwoodsmama.com and on Instagram at @thebackwoodsmama.
CAMP, FAMILY TRAVEL, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
A Day in the Life of a Road School Family
- July 22, 2019
Have you ever dreamed of leaving everything behind and hitting the road with your family for an extended indefinite adventure? How would you feel waking up every day in a new location of your choosing, surrounded by nature and new places to explore? Today, we have a wonderful post from Emily Kimball, mom of 3 kids and a pup, living life on the road while unschooling and adventuring. Emily’s sharing all the beauty in a day of her road school life and insight as to what she’s gained through this experience. This post seriously makes me want to sell everything and hit the road!

Greeting the morning

I awake in the early morning to the songs the birds sing. Their melodies are filled with cheer as they welcome the new day. I tiptoe to my living room where my daughter is awake eagerly awaiting my arrival. “Mama, the ducklings are back!” We open the window and watch the mama duck with her babes enjoying a morning feast.

I step outside with my golden doodle pup, Rosie, and watch the morning come to life. The river is peaceful this time of day, the Nuttall sandstone mountains still covered in the dawn’s fog, not quite ready to awaken. I breathe in deep and am grateful for this unique life I live with my family. Today, my feet are on the banks of one of the longest rivers in the world, the New River in West Virginia. Last week I lived in a little town in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. The week before, the outskirts of Washington DC. And a month before that I awoke to the sound of waves and sand under my feet in the Outerbanks of North Carolina.

A colorful trade up

We chose to leave our life of normalcy, of knowing which local coffee shop served the best lattes, which park had the largest playground and where to find almond milk at the grocery store. We left all of that and more – our family, friends, neighbors and community. Instead, we chose to live on the road. We sold nearly everything we owned, stored a few things in a storage unit and the rest is in our motorhome. It’s been a year since we said goodbye to life in Orange County, California and we said hello to living a different type of life. To quote P.T. Barnum, “Trade that typical for something colorful.” We took that advice to heart.

A life of adventure

Since we left our comfortable lives for a life of adventure, my children (8, 6 and 4) have swum in glacier lakes in Montana, had a close encounter with a bear in Wyoming and saw alligators in South Carolina. They’ve experienced countless incredible thunderstorms, had a couple of close-encounters with tornados and witnessed breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. They have met more people in a year than I had met in the previous 5 years. We’ve lived in mountain towns, coal mining towns, urban forests, beach towns, metropolitans and quiet national forests. We have visited 20 states so far and hope to see them all. Yes, even Alaska and Hawaii.

City scouting

I try to plan at least one day dedicated to seeing the city we are in. Although, we typically see much more of a city than we can in just one day while we’re there. Between grocery shopping, getting acquainted with the local coffee shop, finding a book store, visiting science and children museums (through our reciprocity program we are apart of) and scouting the best places to hike, we can get a pretty good idea of any town. Traveling is a way of life for now, but we do eventually have a goal of finding somewhere we can permanently live. For now, we are having a lot of fun and have no intention of stopping.

Exploring a state park

This week of road school, I planned for us to stay near Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia so we could visit it without having to travel far and to explore the darling little town near it. As we adventured into the park, we descended down to the path that led to the Natural Bridge. We stopped along the way reading every sign and learning why the water is brown and admiring the remains of the now-extinct white cedar trees.

Road schooling has been such an incredible blessing. Learning side-by-side with my children is a gift I do not take for granted. Are there days that are hard? Yes. Are there days of bickering and frustration? Of course! Are there days that I want to give up or maybe just take a leave of absence? Absolutely! But today? Oh, what a joy today is!

Taking in the history

The moss-covered rocks are incredible, as is the slow-moving river that has worked for thousands of years to make this gorge. We walk in awe. The arch is 215 feet above us, birds fly overhead making nests on landings. Flowers sprout from limestone walls as cool water drips on our heads from the rocks soaked with moisture. Legend says that George Washington walked the same path we are now on and then climbed up the side of this natural bridge and carved his initials into the side. Thomas Jefferson’s father owned this land and centuries later the state of Virginia was able to buy it and turn it into a state park preserving it for generations to come.

Of course, Thomas Jefferson was not the first owner of this land. The Monacan Indians lived here long before any Europeans came to the Americas. A small village shows what life was like for the Native American tribe. The exhibit gave us a sense of the intuitiveness that was needed to thrive in this place. One huge benefit to being a road school family, is being able to see places during the week, without crowds. The reenactors of the Monacan village linger with us, probably the only children they will see that day. They take time to answer our questions and give their knowledge freely.

Hikes and home base

This was a short trail, one mile each way. But, as any mother knows, even short trails require loads of snacks. Butterflies and wildflowers provide lovely distractions while we snack. As do hidden caves, mystery bones, and beautiful lace waterfalls. However, we have to make sure not to get too distracted, as one of my sons nearly touched a Northern Mole Kingsnake on accident!

Our road school days aren’t always filled with adventuring out of the campground. Sometimes we stay around the motorhome the entire day and explore. I tend to think the greatest adventures happen at our campsite. Today, while my children ate breakfast outside, three families of geese with their babies swim by. What a delight to see! It feels like we are living in the book Trumpet of the Swan by E.B.White and we were Sam Beaver getting a front-row seat to see these babies.

Welcoming the seasons

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Monarchs and Red- Spotted Purple butterflies flutter about us. We research if carpenter bees are friends or foes. We literally watch, for the first time in any of our lives, winter turn into spring. I was born and raised in Southern California, where the change of seasons is swift. It’s nothing compared to spring on the East Coast where life emerges tentatively, with a delicate sense of trepidation. What an educator mother nature is and only now am I learning what a treasure she is.

This life is full of wonderment. And while it might seem easier for me to observe these changes in my California backyard, nothing has prepared me for how amazing this experience has been. I believe it is the posture I have taken to open my eyes to truly see the beauty of life around me. What an amazing experience this road school lifestyle has been for our family.

If you could hit the road, where would you go first?

About the author

Hi there, I’m Emily.

Road school mom of 3.

My family and I travel the country full time searching for beauty.

I am an artist, mother + wife.

You can find my writings and pictures on Instagram: @kimball5wanderlust
ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, LESSONS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Nature Study: Exploring Ponds with Kids
- July 15, 2019
Summer is a perfect time to get kids outdoors to explore and experience new things! And what better place to enjoy on hot days than someplace with water? Today, the incredible Leslie Alvis (Ohio homeschooling mom of 4) gives us a unique look at a common place your children can explore this summer: the ever-delightful and intriguing pond. Exploring ponds with kids is not only fascinating and fun, but it’s also educational! There’s so much to see, feel, observe and learn about around a pond. Technology and screen time cannot replace the hands-on lessons children learn just playing outside in the amazing classroom of nature. So grab a bucket and a butterfly net, and let’s head to the pond together.

A field of water betrays the spirit that is in the air. It is continually receiving new life and motion from above. It is intermediate in its nature between land and sky.”
Henry David Thoreau

Why head to a pond?

Ponds are a fascinating place, an ecosystem in their own right. They sustain entire life cycles of plants and animals in their own self-contained space. In the summer they hum with life, providing a vibrant atmosphere to explore. From the birds and insects filling the air with song to the fish flashing by in the water and the bullfrogs calling just out of reach, they are a child’s paradise of discoveries.

Exploring ponds with kids is also timelessly interesting, entertaining, and relaxing. Most children can find an endless number of interesting occupations at a pond. I can never believe how long my kids will spend just tossing rocks or sticks into the water. And I’m amazed at how beneficial that simple activity is: building strength and developing motor skills, making them aware of cause and effect, and introducing them to basic physics (gravity and displacement, for instance). Today, we will look at just a few ways you can experience a pond with your children, weaving education and development together with delightful play.

A note on pond safety

Before we get started, I’d like to mention some safety guidelines. Any time water is involved, we have to be extra conscious of our children’s safety. Water is such a fun thing that few children understand its danger. And unlike swimming beaches, ponds often have slippery mud or grassy banks that can drop abruptly into deep water. Teaching children to swim is the number-one prevention to drowning accidents, but even that isn’t a guarantee of safety. Never leave children unattended near any water, especially a deep body of water like a pond.

Be safe together!

If you are comfortable allowing your children to wade in the water, make sure you have carefully checked out the wading area yourself for dangers like slippery mud and sharp drop-offs. And even if you have instructed your children to stay out of the pond, we should be aware that accidents happen and a child can slip and fall into the water in an instant. Stay close and focused on your children, adventuring and playing together. Exploring ponds with kids should be fun and safe.

Teaching nature skills

To start off exploring a pond with kids, simply walk around the pond. Talk before you start about how everyone needs to use their “nature skills” to explore the pond area. These skills include walking quietly, speaking quietly, and trying not to disturb the wildlife around you. We always have to work on sharing our discoveries quietly—the first child to yell they saw a goose will probably scare off the whole flock! This is also a good time to teach children how to study nature without disturbing it, to observe but not take, and to show respect for the natural environment surrounding them by being careful where they step and what they touch.

Sensory exploration

Exploring a pond with kids provides a great sensory experience. It’s easy to get started by asking questions involving the senses. What do you see? It’s like an amazing game of “I Spy.” Do you see those wildflowers on the far bank? Can you spot that turtle out sunning on a log? How many frogs can you count? Oh, no, one just ducked underwater!

Hearing and Smelling

Observing the natural atmosphere of the pond moves quickly to hearing. Do you hear the birds singing? The bullfrogs calling? The wind whispering through the tall grass? The buzzing of the insects? And then there is always smelling—and if the pond you are visiting has the smell of stagnant water, your children are sure to notice it! But you can also smell wildflowers and a fresh breeze. Honeysuckle and freshly cut grass. I love how much my children will get into talking about all the details they notice.

Unforgettable sensory experiences

When exploring ponds with kids, there are countless ways to experience the natural world. How many things can you find to touch? From the smooth leaves and raspy blossom of the cattails, to the silky water and slippery plants in the pond, to the slimy skin of a frog and the soft whisper of a dropped bird feather, there are a multitude of things to feel around a pond. (Of course, unless you have the owner’s permission to pick things, make sure you give careful instruction about not picking any plants or disturbing the environment. Leave it unspoiled for everyone to enjoy!) Touching pond creatures might stretch the sensory comfort zones of some kids, but if you have the opportunity to let your children touch a frog or a fish, it will be a sensory experience they won’t forget!

Hands-on adventures

Getting wet and dirty is part of learning about the pond environment, too. If my children are within reaching-distance of water—any water—they are sure to get wet! It doesn’t matter the temperature or what they’re wearing. If we are going near water, I just plan on them getting soaked. So, if the pond you are visiting is wading accessible, wear some water-appropriate clothes and footwear. Bring some buckets, a net, a magnifying glass, and explore a pond with kids up close!

Exploring a pond with kids is a hands-on activity. If you have an adventuresome child with quick reflexes, they might be able to catch a bullfrog or net a minnow to examine. These are good opportunities not only to study creatures up close, but also to teach our children how to handle them and to release them safely back into their natural environment. The minnows can’t breathe air, so we have to observe them in the water. The frog is slippery and likes to jump, so we have to hold it securely but without squeezing it.

Tadpole science project

In early summer, tadpoles are one of the easiest and most fun things to catch and study. Find a shallow still area at the edge of a pond in early summer, and you will probably see dozens of tiny black blobs wiggling around in the water. These are tadpoles—baby frogs who will develop before your eyes! If you have permission from the pond’s owner, scoop some up in a bucket and you will have a hands-on science project. Bring them home, feed them, and watch them grow! Before long, it will seem unbelievable that these miniature frogs grew from those funny wiggly creatures you caught in the pond. For more information, we’ve got a great post on raising tadpoles with kids.

More hands-on activities

When exploring ponds with kids, study the pond water itself. This is particularly fun if you have access to a microscope. The multitude of tiny organisms living in pond water is amazing. Even if you don’t have a microscope, you can get a pail full of pond water and see if you can spot little plants and water creatures in it with a magnifying glass. You may be surprised just how much you can find!

Exploring ponds with kids isn’t limited to the water. A butterfly net can help you capture amazing creatures such as dragonflies, butterflies, and other flying insects, as well as water insects. Chasing a flying insect is a great hand-eye coordination activity—plus, it’s just fun! And when my children do manage to catch a butterfly or damselfly, they love to examine their vibrant colors and fragile wings. Every creature is so unique and beautiful.

Keeping a pond notebook

If you want to make this a more formal learning experience, bring a notebook or nature journal for each child. Help them keep track of the different living things they see and hear. I love keeping nature notebooks where children can draw pictures of things they have observed and what they have learned about them. Having a pond notebook is a great way for them to process what they are discovering with a quick sketch and a short description. This appeals to some kids more than others, but sitting beside the pond and drawing pictures of what we see is such a lovely way to spend a summer day…or a least a few minutes of one.

Resources

We have found that nature guides and handbooks are valuable resources for learning about pond life. Teaching kids to look up different plants and wildlife that they see helps them learn on a deeper level. Once they have looked up a bird or a flower in their guide book, they are much less likely to forget its name or characteristics! Plus, we can learn together all the things I don’t know (which are many!). We use some of the classic field guides, like Kauffman Field Guide to Birds of North America.

There are also some great resources available for less than $10, like these illustrated nature guides. The entire Take-Along Guides series is geared toward helping children learn about nature in an easy-to-find, graspable format. I can’t recommend them enough if you are serious about helping your children learn about wildlife and plants for themselves.
What do your kids like to do at a pond?

Leslie
@c_l_allofus

Hi, I’m Leslie Alvis! I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, wife to my high school sweetheart and best friend, and a mom to four rascally kids. They love the great outdoors as much as I do, and our yard often feels like the scene from “The Sound of Music” where you hear voices and laughter and can’t find any children until you look up into the trees. I love writing, photography, and all things outdoors, and do pretty much everything with my kids tagging along. If we can’t do it as a family, it’s likely it won’t happen. We live in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Amish Country, where it’s perfectly normal to park beside a horse and buggy at the grocery store. We also homeschool, which basically means that I’m trying to teach my kids to use their minds without losing my own. (Every once in a while I think I might be succeeding.) While we follow a traditional curriculum, I weave every outdoor adventure I can into our educational journey. I believe that the lessons children experience firsthand sink deepest into their hearts and minds, and there is so much we can learn outside in the beauty and wonder of nature.

If you want more from Leslie, read all her Run Wild My Child posts here.
GARDENING, GOOD FOR NATURE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SUMMER
Gardening with Kids: 5 Easy Vegetables to Grow
- July 5, 2019
Gardening is a fun and easy nature adventure to do with kids of any age. Kids love getting messy, muddy and digging around in the earth. They also love being outside, being active, learning about new things and taking care of their very own project. All these things make gardening a perfect activity for kids. Today, we have the absolutely amazing Jemma of thimbleandtwig.com (English teacher and mom to 4 in London) here sharing tips on starting a vegetable garden and 5 easy vegetables to grow with kids.

Benefits of gardening with kids

There are so many great reasons to get kids involved in gardening. As outdoor activities go, gardening is a wonderful and well-rounded way to teach a valuable skill and connect kids to the earth. Half the fun of gardening is eating what you sow and kids that grow gardens tend to eat healthier and are more likely to try new fruits and vegetables. I’m always amazed at what my kiddos will eat when they’ve spent some time growing it with their own fair hands! Gardening is also a physical activity that gets kids outdoors and gets their hands in the dirt. This physical contact with nature is an immeasurable benefit to kids. Gardening can also build confidence by making children feel more skilled and capable.

No land, no problem!

You don’t have to own a big plot of land to garden. Fruit and vegetables can easily be grown in containers or hanging pots on a balcony, fence or windowsill or even inside if you’re a city dweller! Strawberries do very well in hanging baskets, for example. And tomatoes absolutely thrive in containers, so long as they have ample sunlight. Radishes do great in deep pots and beans grow well in pots with a trellis.

Experimental gardening

Last year, we built a couple of vegetable boxes in our garden for our children to grow vegetables. We had an experimental year where we planted lots of different types of fruit and vegetables and waited to see which ones would do well and which ones didn’t make it to the table! Some of the fruit and vegetables didn’t grow properly or were eaten by birds (I thoroughly recommend a net over any fruit you might grow!).

Even if all your crops fail – simply the experience of planting, tending and nurturing vegetables can help instill a sense of responsibility in children and help them care for their environment. Their excitement at the first glimpse of a little shoot after they’ve planted the seed – is priceless! They are always so excited at the first glimpse of green!

Five easy vegetables to grow with kids

If you’re looking to start a vegetable garden or grow a few container plants, here are 5 easy vegetables to grow with kids (plus a bonus fruit). These vegetables are easy and foolproof to grow with kids. We had a great experience growing these plants last year and we’re not particularly green-fingered in the garden! This goes to show that if we can grow something – anyone can!

1. Green Beans

Green beans are perfect for growing in a vegetable garden with kids. They are easy to plant, grow and withstand a variety of weather. There are lots of different types of beans – runner, climbing French beans and dwarf beans. Beans are perfect for a sunny, well-drained spot and can also be grown in pots. You will need something for them to grow up (some type of trellis or climbing netting), but this is easy to construct from canes and twine. We found that beans grow quickly and that the runner beans and broad beans were the best hit with our kids. They loved picking them and popping them open to discover the beans inside.

2. Carrots

Carrots are another easy vegetable to grow because they survive in most climates. If you have a vegetable bed, you may need to grow a shorter version like Chantenay Carrots that don’t need as much space. These are also the best variety to grow in colder temperatures too. Since you cannot see how big your carrots are growing underground, picking the first carrot is always so much fun! It’s a total surprise and you never know what you’re going to get. The kids love choosing their carrot stem and seeing what comes up when they pull!

3. Potatoes

Potatoes are an amazing vegetable to grow with children because you can grow them in container bags and you don’t need a veggie patch! Plus, nearly all kids like eating potatoes since they are versatile to cook with. As you start with a seed potato, it’s a little bit like a science experiment for kids, which is lots of fun. My kids liked waiting for the ‘eyes’ to grow and once the seed potatoes have ‘eyes’, you can plant them in a deep bucket or potato bag (some even have a see portion so you can watch them grow). Every time the plants reach the surface, kids should cover with more soil. Potatoes are an easy vegetable for kids to learn how to take care of themselves. A good tip is to wait until all the flowers on the potato plant have nearly died back before harvesting your potatoes.

4. Cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are another great vegetable to grow with kids. (Ok, yes, tomatoes are technically a fruit.) Cherry tomato plants are usually high yielding and produce a ton of little red tomatoes. These are perfect for snacking on (pop them directly into your mouth!), throw them in a salad or skewer them for kabobs. They’re also a bit sweet, so kids like them much more than larger varieties.

5. Peas

Peas are also easy to grow and grow quickly and they can be grown in pots. They are the most fun to harvest as the kids love shelling them from their pea pods! Peas can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days which makes them perfect for getting the most out of your crop. My kids (and I) love the sugar snap pea variety because they’re so crunchy and sweet. For more tips on growing peas with kids – see this article from The Educator’s Spin on It!

Bonus: strawberries and raspberries

Not a vegetable, but I’m adding this in as a bonus because kids LOVE strawberries! Strawberries and raspberries are perfect for growing with children because they are truly delicious! Homegrown berries are so much sweeter and juicier than you buy at the store. Kids love peeking under the leaves of the plants to find the red ripe strawberries or raspberries. In our garden, the strawberries didn’t ever make it back from the garden though! Strawberries can be grown in any part of your garden and can take up either a small or large space, depending on what you have available.

Be sure to check out my website for more tips on Growing a Vegetable Garden with Kids, including how to make a handy wooden spoon planter to label your vegetables! Have great fun growing in your garden with kids! We’d love to hear what successes you’ve had in your vegetable garden!

Are you growing a garden with your kids this summer?
(it’s not too late to start one)
What are you growing?

Meet the author

I’m Jemma and I live in London, England with my husband and 4 kids. My all-time favorite thing to do is take photos and capture memories of my family. I’m on a mission to ensure parenthood doesn’t rush by so quickly by creating mini family outdoor adventures and hopefully some big adventures too, one day! I’m a mum to four and an English teacher to many; my passion for storytelling, adventures and nature crafts is packaged up into my blog http://www.thimbleandtwig.com.

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @thimbleandtwig