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Finding just the right stick to pop on a marshmallow and placing it the right distance from your fire, results in a delicious sticky mess. Camping never tasted so good. But, to get to that point, there are some safety steps that need to be met first. Smokey Bear (an…
When you go outside on a clear night you may see no moon, slivers of the moon or a full moon. You may even see certain phases of the moon during the day. There are eight phases of the moon. They are a result of the moon orbiting the earth….
When you look up at the night sky, you will notice approximately every 29.5 days it will be a full moon. The moon will look like a complete circle. Did you know that in the New England area, the Algonquin tribes (who lived in this part of the United States)…
Living in a residential area that has large areas of wooded green space, I see a variety of animals. Just recently a bobcat came walking through my yard not 10 feet from my back door. They are native to the United States and also known as a red lynx. This…
The Barred owl is sometimes referred to as the “hoot owl”. It is a common sound in deciduous as well as evergreen woods in the North East. You may hear them call to one another (click on the link) outside your window. Though active at night (nocturnal), you may also…
Spoiler alert: Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” should be taken with a grain of salt. As most children can tell you, the story isn’t real. So, the author can take artistic license. And he does. If this is a book you read to your child, it is a perfect…
Leaves of three, let it be. That is the very basic rule, if you don’t know how to identify poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). Toxic means poisonous, dendron means tree and radicans means to take root. Not everyone is allergic to the oily resin urushiol (u-ROO-she-ol) located in the leaves, root…
With summer approaching, children’s birthdays and gift giving just-because it’s great to have some gift ideas available. Following are items the entire family can enjoy for summer fun. “Exploring Nature Activity Book for Kids” by Kim Andrews It includes 50 outdoor projects. The book is designed for a mixture of…
Why do we need a compass for a hike? A compass shows direction. If you have a compass and a map, it will help you find your location, show the direction back to the trail, parking lot or your group. The map usually will have a compass rose located in…
Keeping a hiking journal can be very individual. Hikers will use random words, hand drawn pictures or sketches, poems or philosophical thoughts. But all will contain memories and specifics about your experience. For littles, journaling will spark their curiosity, improve their observation/focus and writing/drawing competency, along with their other senses….
