Originally published Jan 2010 – the large swarth of the US covered in snow got me thinking about this post. We’re enjoying our own snow with mini-snowmen and copious amounts of cocoa. Want to know my thoughts on outdoor play? I consider it an absolute necessity for all children (and adults!) I read a great article recently about “Nature Deficit Disorder” and couldn’t agree more … Continue reading On Going Outside
We just read “The Big Snow” by Elmer Hader and (if possible) Claire has become even more obsessed with birds. Having lots of wintry weather here like in the story, it was the perfect time to provide some sustenance to our feathered friends. Claire said I looked just like the old lady in the story when I through the remnants of the suet cakes in … Continue reading This one’s for the birds!
Children are natural collectors, and I’m guilty of the same thing myself, often arriving home with just as much “treasure” in my pockets as my daughter. Rather than discourage our little naturalist-in-training, I carved out some space on an end table to display whatever bounty Claire snags on our nature walks. We filled a few glass vases with some seed pods and birch trimmings (thank … Continue reading Our Nature Table
Not the most glamorous of snowballs, but it’s one Claire can call her own. You’ve been hit! Continue reading Gotcha!
I know, I know…two foliage posts in a row – but I can’t help it! The beautiful leaf rubbings we worked on earlier are still on display but this is an even easier project to commemorate the season. Walking with Claire in the yard always turns up a few colorful leaf specimens to work with, here’s the unique way we’re displaying them: I picked up a … Continue reading Celebrating Autumn’s Splendor
Since we spend a lot of time here: Looking up at this: and this: of course, it was only a matter of time before there was a tree in our house decked out in colored leaves of its own: This chalkboard hangs in our kitchen and sometimes I’ll write out our dinner menu or a fancy birthday greeting but most often we’re using it for … Continue reading Chalkboard and Autumn Admiration
The air is crisp and colorful leaves are dotting the trees – it appears autumn has arrived! Last week Claire and I grabbed some crayons in fall hues, gathered a few leaves from the front yard and sat down to make some rubbings. As I expected, Claire found this project magical! The veins and edges appearing as she rubbed different colors thrilled her and the … Continue reading Autumn Artwork – Exploring Leaf Rubbings
Chalk In My Pocket 