Fun with Nature; #1

One of our favorite resources for hands-on learning

As our days begin to roll along into more acceptable and warmer weather patterns, summer rests on our horizon and wow (!) are we ever beginning to look forward to that!

Meanwhile, spring is here in full force and an abundance of outdoor life is producing moments of natural exploration for the children outdoors throughout the grounds of our new property.

Our three acres of forest has produced newfound nature exploration abilities this new season; birds are singing during the peak of their mating season, insects are alive and found often on the front steps and small furry critters are frolicking about. It's all exciting and new for us, and our children have become nature investigators scoping out the territory for what lay living upon it.

Each season produces new nature fun possibilities. Our favorite fun nature book/guide is now off the bookshelf and into the hands of our younger children after spying this on our front walkway;

The latest find that propelled the children into nature fun;
What was it?
Is it a centipede, a caterpillar or something else?
They found out it was a "Millipede".

One of several books in the covers of
our favorite nature resource book

And then of course, bird observations are leaving us with our Ontario bird identification book in hand and our binoculars nearby hanging on door handles for a quick grab or on a side table for a viewing moment.

Binoculars lay about for quick observations

Any way one looks at it; the bug bottles, insect crates and magnifying glasses have been located, and springtime science is in full swing along with sketch books, flower presses, cameras and ziplock collector baggies. Curiosity is contagious and who said it was only for the young because I too am equally smitten with a new acreage land to explore.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep

~ Robert Frost

The poor millipede was dead, so a collector
bottle allows for an exhibit of it for all.

"Fun with Nature" will be our designated theme for our spring science over the weeks to come. Please feel free to join us on our quest to springtime science, on our way to new adventures as we grow wild with enthusiastic curiosities, don our great rubber boots and begin to roam about in our woods to uncover new surprises yet known to us.