One recent outdoor activity I recently did with my kids which they had a lot of fun with, and wanted to do again and again, was to build “fairy houses” to attract woodland or garden fairies. This doesn’t need to be very complicated.  In the woods we just found a spot in the middle of a ring of trees that looked like a perfect place for a fairy house. We propped up sticks and bark against a corner and then covered it with moss and lichen and decorated with little pinecones and acorns. They had so much fun with this they wanted to build one in our garden the next day.

Making a woodland fairy house!

Our first class of the season will start on March 3, and is called “The Senses”. In this session we will explore our senses as we learn each week how we can use all of our five senses in the outdoors to learn about nature. Children will discover how we can learn much more about our environment besides just looking at it, in this hands-on session that will especially focus on hearing, smelling, and feeling the world around us.

Thanks, and hope to see you outdoors!

Stephanie Derammelaere

This is also such a great project to involve even young children in – and what better way of encouraging healthy eating habits? Children are much more likely to eat fruits and vegetables that they’ve helped plant, maintain, and harvest themselves. You can get children involved in the process early on, by getting their input on what types of fruits and vegetables they would like to grow, and letting them help in choosing a proper site in the garden (which can lead to a discussion on sunlight, soil, shade, etc.) There are several books at the library dedicated to specifically gardening with children.

While I encourage getting your children outdoors, even in winter and even in the rain for some puddle jumping, earthworm exploring, fallen-leaf hunting, etc. I have to admit there are days “when the weather outside is frightful, and inside is so delightful” (to quote the line from the “Let it Snow” song), and hanging out in a nice heated house seems a lot more enjoyable than getting everyone bundled up to go outside. On those days, you could try to get some nature indoors and perhaps work on some of those crafts you never seemed to find time to do at other times of the year. Especially at this time of year during the holiday season when many of us are bringing nature into the home anyway to celebrate the season (i.e., Christmas trees, evergreen boughs and wreaths, poinsettias, and pinecones, just to name a few), it is a lot of fun for little ones to participate in this decorating by making their own crafts. Some ideas include:

• Decorate pinecones with glitter glue or glitter added to paint, and tie a ribbon on them to hang from a Christmas tree or elsewhere around the house.

• Make miniature wreaths from tiny hemlock cones glued to cardboard shapes.

• Tie together bundles of cinnamon sticks and sprigs of dried herbs with velvet ribbon.

• Make orange or lime pomanders.

• Make “snow”-covered pinecone ornaments. Wind some wire around the cones and dip them into wallpaper paste (parents need to supervise this step). When the paste feels tacky, dip the cones into white laundry powder. Shake off the excess. Let dry before you decorate them with some ribbon.

• Make nature-inspired candle holders. Glue a candle onto a flat piece of wood and glue on small pinecones, small pieces of evergreen, and red berries around the candle. This can be made even more child-friendly by adding a “fake” (battery-operated) candle that can be found at craft stores.

I’d love to hear your ideas as well! If you have any good ones to share, please email me at stephanie@naturetots.org. In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year!

Thanks, and hope to see you outdoors!

Stephanie Derammelaere

Speaking of stocking stuffers, I am also trying to be more eco-friendly in my stocking stuffing this year by choosing gifts and trinkets that I know will be used and cherished. It’s tempting to just load up on dollar store finds that look cute for five minutes but will inevitably end up in landfill shortly after Christmas. Therefore, I am veering towards stocking stuffers such as art and craft supplies, little books, and stickers that I know will be used, not break easily, and bring enjoyment for some time to come.

Making autumn leaf prints!

While the weather is turning colder and rain is imminent, it is nevertheless still a good time to get outdoors with your children. The fall colors can be spectacular and my children have had some of the most fun splashing through puddles, finding earthworms after a rain, and watching flocks of Canada Geese migrate south this time of year. There are so many fun activities you can do with colorful autumn leaves (see the nature activity on the next page for one idea).

Another special event taking place right now in nature is the return of thousands of Monarch butterflies to the Monterey Bay area where they will spend the winter. It is a bit far but if you’re in the area, it is well worth checking out one of the Monarch’s resting spots, like the Monarch Grove at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. We just visited at the end of October and it was spectacular to see hundreds of Monarch butterflies fluttering about and hanging from the trees. Public tours are offered on weekends in November at 11:00am and 2:00pm and no reservations are necessary.

Trying to spot Monarch Butterflies

Thanks, and hope to see you outdoors!

Stephanie Derammelaere

For this month’s nature activity we chose to make butterflies with some autumn leaves. First, I cut out a body of a butterfly out of cardboard (you could use construction paper too) and the children decorated them.

Next, we colored a “background scene” on a piece of construction paper (clouds, trees, flowers….wherever a butterfly might be likely to be found).

Then we found two matching leaves per butterfly, taped them to the back of the body, and cut off the stems and taped them to the top of the head for the antennae.

First, take off all paper around the crayons and separate by color (you could also mix colors but might end up with a lot of brown crayons!). Next, put them in an oven-proof container and melt them in a 200 degree oven for about ten minutes. Once they’ve all melted, pour the melted wax into little molds like those used for making candy, soaps, or candles (you can find these at craft or cooking supply stores). Or, you can just use a muffin tin.

Next, let them set (or freeze them for faster hardening), pop out of the mold, and color with your new, fun crayons! Your children will learn to make something new with what they already have instead of just throwing it away.

Another idea for reusing broken crayons is to peel the paper off of them and keep them for making rubbings. I always keep a bag of peeled, broken crayons around in case my children want to make leaf rubbings, bark rubbings, etc.

Our last class of 2009 will be “Green Giants” at Spring Lake, starting 10/21 and running through 11/11. This class is full but if you are interested in getting on the waiting list (I do get cancellations sometimes), please contact me at 707-333-1331 or stephanie@naturetots.com. This month I am also already thinking about what classes I will schedule next Spring, so if you have any requests for certain days of the week, topics, or locations, please contact me!

Last but definitely not least, I am very excited to introduce a new person to Nature Tots who is currently volunteering and may possibly teach some classes herself in the Spring! Her name is Samantha Jagoda, and she is a recent graduate from Sonoma State University, with a major in Environmental Studies, Outdoor Leadership, and a minor in Geology. Among other things, Samantha is certified in wilderness first aide and as a first responder, she recently was involved in the Earth Explore organization in Wyoming, worked for the Outdoor Resource Center in Rohnert Park, worked with children as a Teacher’s Aide for Cross and Crown Lutheran School in Rohnert Park, and acted as a camp counselor, leading young students on hikes in the outdoors at Westminster Woods in Occidental. Welcome Samantha!

Thanks, and hope to see you outdoors!

Stephanie Derammelaere