We have some wonderful news to report – Nature Tots is now an officially recognized non-profit and has obtained its 501(c)(3) tax exemption! While this does not mean we can yet offer the classes for free, it does mean we are actively seeking grants and other funding in order to do so! In the meantime, we appreciate your continued support and are happy to inform you that class fees at least are tax deductible! For anyone who has paid for a class this year and would like a receipt for your records, please contact me at stephanie@naturetots.com.

We’ve just completed our “What Animal Did That?” session (see picture below) which was a lot of fun and are now getting ready to start our “feathered friends” session on April 8^th, where we will learn all about the birds in our own backyard! Spring Lake is a great location for this class, as we always find a lot of different birds to see and hear!

Earth Day is this month on April 22^nd, and for some great ideas on how to celebrate Earth Day, and teach your children about what Earth Day means, check out http://holidays.kaboose.com/earth-day/ for some great craft ideas and tips on how to boost environmental awareness.

Thanks, and hope to see you outdoors!

Stephanie Derammelaere 

This month some April showers are in the forecast which is a perfect opportunity to make a worm farm! Thank you to Barbie from Leaping Lizard Rescue for this fun idea.

First, get a large, wide-mouthed jar (a large mayonnaise jar works great) and fill it with various layers such as garden soil, peat, grass clippings, sand, small pebbles, and a thin layer of raw oatmeal. Water thoroughly. Make sure to make the layers distinct. Find some earthworms (after rain many will come to the surface, or you may need to dig for some), and scatter the worms on the soil’s surface in the jar. Cover the worms with some moist dead leaves and cover the jar with a light-proof cloth or paper bag, and place in a cool place. Do not screw the jar’s top back on. The worms cannot get out, and they need the oxygen. Check the worms after about a week and watch how the layers shift as the worms tunnel through the soil. If you keep the worms longer than a week, make sure to water the soil occasionally, although not too much or else the worms can drown. Look for mounds of rippled soil on the surface. These are castings, made when earthworms eat the soil and eliminate it. When you are done watching the worms, make sure to return them to the garden!

A fundamental way we can help children learn an appreciation and love of their environment is to teach them where their food comes from. Too many children today are so removed from the reality of what they are actually eating, and how that is related to the earth. There are so many ways to help children learn in a fun way about our food system. First, you could visit a local farm. Many do tours and even those that do not do “official” tours are happy to talk to children about what and how they grow/raise plants and animals. Second, visiting a farmer’s market helps children make the connection between the fruits and vegetables on the tables and the farmers that grew them. Striking up a conversation with a vendor about the specific vegetables can teach your child and you something too! Third, you can plant your own garden – whether this means just a few herbs on a sunny window ledge or a larger garden plot, the idea is the same – teaching your child about growing a food that you later use to cook and eat. (Another side benefit – children are much more likely to eat their vegetables if they grew them, watered them, and picked them themselves!) Lastly, joining a “CSA” (community supported agriculture) where one can buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer via (usually) a box of vegetables per week is a great way for children to see where food is grown. We love our CSA, Valley End Farm (www.valleyendfarm.com) in Santa Rosa, which also offers eggs. My son loves going every week to pick up our box of veggies and to say Hi to the chickens that scurry about.