Happy Holidays! Even though the weather is getting colder and wetter, winter is still a good time to get outside and let your child explore. This is one of my favorite times of year to visit Spring Lake, when the lake is still and peaceful, the trees are colors of every hue, and migrating birds come back to settle in for the winter. Especially as the pace starts to pick up for the holidays and days start getting more hectic, having some time outside can help ease stress and revive the spirit of the holidays.

As the year winds down I am also already busy planning for next year and will have dates of upcoming sessions posted on www.naturetots.com, as well as in this newsletter, soon. Thank you also to those of you who have already returned the survey I sent out, in hope of making Nature Tots better fit your child’s interests.

My first session of 2009 will begin March 3rd with a new session called “What Animal did That?” where children will learn to identify signs of animal activity and learn about the animals that made them. Various animal species will be covered, and may include insects and spiders, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals.

A few other changes I’ll be trying out in 2009 are 4-week class sessions which I believe might work better for a lot of people, as well as some different locations, including one in Rohnert Park.

Hope you have a happy holiday season and hope to see you outdoors!

Stephanie Derammelaere