Signs of Spring are everywhere! Can you hear them? Just as the sun goes down the PEEPERS start singing their well known tunes reminding us that a new season is upon us and we have much to look forward to and discover!
Did you know water amphibians and wood amphibians ( salamanders and tree frogs) can be found within feet of eachother?Come with us on an Amphibian Foray!
When our children were quite young we took them on an adventure to uncover the mysteries of pond life! We gathered our supplies and went exploring in and all around Grandma and Grandpas pond. The pond is in back of their old farm house. It's a very special pond. It's the very pond where my husband made some of his first childhood disoveries. Let's go exploring!
Here they are getting knee deep in pond muck life discovery!
We found: amphibious snails, peepers, tadpoles, wood frog egg, peeper eggs, salamander eggs, water strider, water boatman, backswimmer, dragonflies, and whirligig beetles.
It was a perfect day for exploring. The sun was out and the pond was ripe for finding all sorts of wonderful things. The children used nets for scooping various specimens from the outer edges of the pond. My hubby waded into the pond to retrieve some frog eggs which he placed in a gallon jug so everyone could get a closer look AND FEEL....The word slimey comes to mind! To follow up on your experiments head to your local library or check out some web sites on Pond Life to learn more!
Host your own AMPHIBIAN FORAY!!!
Find a near by pond or (nature center) to visit! Grab some friends and get outside!
You'll Need : a good pocket field guide on pond life, water proof boots, nets, magnifying glass, plastic jug, glass jars, aluminum and plastic trays for display of specimans, and a microscope.
Don't forget YOUR CAMERA and a dry change of clothes...Pond discovery is messy business!
Pack a little picnic... Your young explorers will be hungry after their big adventure!
It was a perfect day for exploring. The sun was out and the pond was ripe for finding all sorts of wonderful things. The children used nets for scooping various specimens from the outer edges of the pond. My hubby waded into the pond to retrieve some frog eggs which he placed in a gallon jug so everyone could get a closer look AND FEEL....The word slimey comes to mind! To follow up on your experiments head to your local library or check out some web sites on Pond Life to learn more!
Host your own AMPHIBIAN FORAY!!!
Find a near by pond or (nature center) to visit! Grab some friends and get outside!
You'll Need : a good pocket field guide on pond life, water proof boots, nets, magnifying glass, plastic jug, glass jars, aluminum and plastic trays for display of specimans, and a microscope.
Don't forget YOUR CAMERA and a dry change of clothes...Pond discovery is messy business!
Pack a little picnic... Your young explorers will be hungry after their big adventure!
Children are natural born explorers! The earlier you get outdoors with your children and start discovering the better. Don't dilly dally, it won't be long before they'll be trading in their rainboots and butterfly nets for cell phones.
I can't think of a better book to guide you and your children in your outdoor adventures together than Sharon Lovejoys' award winning new book...
I had the most wonderful pleasure of "meeting" Sharon Lovejoy ( in blog land) recently when she commented with some very kind words on my post Grow Together. She encouraged me to get her new JUST RELEASED book TOAD COTTAGES and SHOOTING STARS and I can't thank her enough! It is just a delight and so is she!Her new book is over flowing with the most imaginative and fun things to do in the garden with your grandchildren, but don't let the child on the cover fool you! If you get giddy at the thought of being in your garden, I guarantee you'll find yourself trying one or more of Sharons clever activities!
I love how Sharon includes photos of her grandchildren along with her charming illustrations in this wonderful book.
You might like to make a faerie house or grow a pot of
pumpkins! Your never too old to make a Faerie House!
The beach faeries love this one!
Do you believe?
Where will you go exploring?
I am sitting in a motel in Oregon and we're heading out to drive another 5 hours north for my lecture tomorrow. Anyhow, Jeff said Deborah wrote so I got onto your post and was saying aloud, "YES, I love this post!" and that was before I got to the part about my book. Thank you so much. I didn't expect that. Would you consider sharing your wonderful faerie house pictures so that I could share them on a children' s faerie program. All due credit would be extended, but I think these would be very stimulating for people to see.
ReplyDeleteLove to you,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Ahhhh ..the Foray takes me back some years! We all had a great time discovering and getting wet that day! Gretchen was there too, remember?
ReplyDeleteI never thought that years later we would have our own ponds to discover and delight in!
And I agree,one is NEVER too old to build a faerie house...or to explore, discover and delight in ALL of nature either !
LOVE LOVE LOVE Sharon's book! :)
~marcia
PS hugs to you all
I remember that day by the pond so well! I have cute pix of " all the kids" gathered by the table with their " finds " and sitting in the crux of the big tree up by the house! YES! Aren't we lucky to have such wonderful ponds,woods and beaches to explore?
ReplyDeleteIt's amost time for our trip to the beach isn't it? :)
xo
Deb~
The sound of peepers lets me know that spring is here. We heard alot of it when we lived in Ohio since we lived very close to some ponds.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day.
Thank you Laurie!
ReplyDeleteI must give credit to our " fairy loving" daughter for the fairy houses! I am finding that as our children come into their teens, and leave those most precious wonder years behind, I am determined to keep them alive!
How about a build a fairy house challenge? I'll build a fairy house if you all will... Take a pic and send it to me and I'll post them for all to see!
We have until April 10th!