Homemade Bird Nester Learning Activity

Each season has it's own learning opportunities and we're taking advantage of those unique to spring. Recently, we learned a bit about birds and how they make their nests. We created these bird nesters as a fun follow up activity to reinforce the things we learned while making our backyard birds happy.

What is a bird nester? A bird nester is a collection of nesting materials that you can set out just like you would a bird feeder. We actually used a suet bird feeder as our box and filled it with bits of yarn. We found our suet cage at Walmart for less than three dollars, and we plan to use it as a feeder later in the year.

Nesting Materials-

• Yarn
• Twine
• Scraps of fabric
• Dried grasses
• Small twigs
• Dead leaves
• Pine needles
• Hair
• Pet fur

Dryer lint is not recommended because it's dense and doesn't dry quickly, keeping the nest cold and wet. You should also stay away from plastics and things like fishing line. When offering yarn, twine, etc. the recommended length is around 3-8 inches. 

I wanted this activity to really focus on the things we've been learning, so I used this time to discuss camouflage. I brought out my collection of yarn scraps in various colors and I let R decide which colors he thought would be best to help the birds hide their nests. We decided on earth tones and used various colors of brown, green, and tan.

This activity also helped me sneak in some math and scissor practice. R happily measured and snipped until we had more than enough to fill our nester. In fact, we even created one as a gift for his nana. This would be a great gift for anyone that loves bird watching.

The learning and fun doesn't stop there! We hung ours in a low traffic area that was still visible. It's really interesting to watch the birds come and go. Record the types of birds that visit by drawing them in a nature journal and use a field guide for your area to identify them.

Want to learn a little more about birds and their nesting habits? We loved this video! 

What are your favorite springtime learning activities?

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10 Tips for Fishing with Kids

Taking your children fishing can be a great way to connect as a family. It's also a fantastic way for your kids to experience nature and learn the art of patience.  But have you been worried about how a fishing trip with young children would turn out? Or was your last trip less than amazing? I've been there! So I thought I'd share a few of the things that have helped my family enjoy this fun past time.

10 Tips for Fishing with Kids

1. Decide on Location- The first step towards a successful fishing trip with your kids is deciding on a good location. Ideally, you'd like to go to a place that is well stocked because it increases your chances for actually catching fish. Other things to consider would be how crowded and family friendly it is, and if there's a good bit of room to explore and play if the fishing loses it's appeal.

2. Build Anticipation- Before you go, especially if this is your child's first fishing trip, you could read a few picture books about fishing to build excitement. You could also mark the date of your family's fishing trip on a calendar and count down the days until it's time to go. Tell stories and ask open-ended questions to get them involved in the conversation.

3. Expectations and Rules- As you are building anticipation for your family outing, you could also take some time throughout the days beforehand to talk about your expectations and rules for safety. Go over them again as you leave to go fishing so that they are fresh in their minds.

4. Go Prepared- Of course, this is an important thing to do with any outing if you have kids. (I've definitely learned that one the hard way.) Before you leave, make sure you have plenty of water, sunscreen, and snacks. You might also need something to repel bugs, antibacterial wipes (to wash hands before they eat their snack!) and a change of clothes. Will you need chairs or a blanket? And don't forget your fishing gear!

5. Choose Your Bait- The type of bait you use will vary depending on where you are fishing and what you are hoping to catch.. and your child's interests. For some, a big bucket of worms will be the perfect bait. Not only will you be fishing with them, but they could provide some added entertainment between catches. However, if your child is squeamish, you may want to bring some cheese slices instead.

6. Bring the Bobbers- Lightweight bobbers will help your child notice when they have a bite. This is really useful if your child wants to wander a bit without his pole.

7. Give Them a Job- Giving your child a job can give them something to focus on and look forward to. Young children can hand you bait while older children might be in charge of releasing the fish.

8. Make it Fun- Fishing is a lot of fun when you are getting bite after bite, but it doesn't always happen that way. Show your children that they can enjoy themselves while waiting for the next fish to bite. You can use the slow times as a chance to talk and explore a bit of the nature around you. Catch bugs. Watch your worms. Take a break and have a picnic. You can even make up silly songs to lure the fish to your bait. One trip we began singing, "Here fishy, fishy. We don't want to EAT you. We just want to CATCH you." And now it's something we sing each time we go.

9. Keep it Short- If you plan to keep the trip short, then you wont be disappointed or frustrated if the fishing has lost it's appeal early into the day. Don't worry. You are likely to see an increase in their attention spans and patience the more often you go.

10. Practice Responsible Fishing- Talk with your kids about responsible fishing. Talk about why we only keep what we need and release the fish we don't. Pack up everything you brought with you and try to leave your spot better than when you found it.

I hope that you've found these tips helpful! Do you have a tip you'd like to share? 

Can't get out to go fishing? You might like my post on Pretend Play Fishing.


{I would like to stress that we supervise R while fishing and recommend that your children fish only under close supervision as well. You know your child and their capabilities so please only do what you feel comfortable with.}

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Signs Of Spring Nature Hunt

It's spring time! The winter is officially behind us and nature is experiencing its rebirth. I thought the perfect way to celebrate would be to experience it firsthand. And that's just what we did! We went on a nature walk and hunted for signs of spring.

I began by talking to R about the spring. I asked him questions like:

"What do you see in the spring, that you don't see in the winter?"

"What do you hear?"

"What do you think about when you think of spring?"

He had some wonderful answers and it really got us thinking about the new season. I asked him to keep all of that in mind as we began our walk. Then I gave him his backpack full of fun things to take with us. I included a digital camera for his use, binoculars, and a few other miscellaneous items. I also brought along a nature journal printable and a box of colored pencils. 

I made this printable for the occasion and you're welcome to download a copy for yourself. All I ask is that you do not redistribute and that you download for your own personal use. Just click the picture to download and print.

The Hunt For Spring

He was really excited about finding clues in nature. We explored and played. We enjoyed the beautiful weather. Ours was a very long walk around a nearby park, but you could even do this activity for 15 minutes in your own backyard.

Spring is here! Here's some proof.

At one point, R decided that he would like to use the nature journal page. I brought it along in case he was inspired to draw on the walk, but I wasn't going to push the subject. I thought that it would also be a great way to recap the walk once we were home, if he wanted. 

For the things he had seen, he drew a leafy green tree, an ant hill, and bee wings. He drew a happy bumble bee for the "I heard" section and a few flowers for the smell. He surprised me by drawing the wind as the very first picture under the "I felt" category. He later added a cute little inch worm that had inched up his arm. He also pointed out that the weather section neglected to have a "windy" option and drew one. He sat down and concentrated on drawing the springtime surroundings. He really enjoyed taking the time to soak in the season.

Is it spring time where you are?

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What We Learned From Playing With Rocks

We recently made a day out of visiting a nearby dam. We had a lot of fun and it was very educational. Looking at the dam and talking about it's purpose was educational. Reading signs about local wildlife and then seeing it first hand was amazing!

But the part of the day that struck me the most was when we were playing with rocks. Rocks are fantastic and fun learning materials! For well over an hour we were throwing rocks into the water and he was learning! Of course it was great use of gross motor skills, but it was also more than that.

It was a wonderful conversation starter and experience. He would choose a rock and we'd talk about  it. We'd talk about how big it was, it's shape and color, how heavy it was. We'd speculate on whether or not it would be good for skipping. We'd throw them and listen to all the various sounds they would make as they kerplunked into the water. We noticed that the big rocks made a sound that differed from the small rocks. We attempted to recreate the sounds we heard. We played music by throwing rocks. We talked about distance. We talked about the splashes the rocks made and the outstretching ripples. I did a lot of listening and let him lead the conversation. It came naturally and he didn't want it to end.

When we left, instead of taking the stairs we opted to climb back up over the rocks, which was another fantastic learning opportunity. Before we started I knew that I would give him his space and let him conquer this on his own. It was a huge hill of rocks that might be "risky" but I knew he could do it. We still went over a few basic safety tips. The main one I stressed was to be aware of where he was putting his hands. I didn't want him accidently finding a stray fish hook or a snake. It is getting cooler and the chance of snakes is lessening, but it was a very warm day and you never know. I was never far behind, but I didn't want to hover.

He was eager to get started and he was doing great. I seen him thinking about his next move and being deliberate in his hand placement. And then there was an instant where he learned from experience. He jumped to a rock that was not stable. The rock started to move and he started to fall backwards. Now, this wasn't a huge rock cliff, but it was still instantly terrifying for me. Within less than a second I seen several different scenarios play out in my mind as I started to lunge forward. But he was quicker. He very quickly recovered and was to the next rock before I could let out a gasp. He stayed low the rest of the way up and was so proud of himself when we finished. He told me that he almost fell but that he kept his balance and it was easier to keep his balance if he stayed low to the ground.

Life experience. Excitement and fun. Critical thinking, problem solving, science, math, music, language and exercise. All from playing with rocks.

Rocks taught us a lot this day. Do you use nature as your playground and classroom?

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Fun With Fort Building

Today's "Hands On Play Challenge" was to build a fort. Wow! What a fantastic way to start off with a bang! When I read the challenge for today I immediately knew what kind of fort we would make. It's something I've been wanting to do with him for some time now. We have several stacks of logs that he frequently plays on that would make a good starting point. We spent all afternoon climbing, building, exploring, and playing. 

My original plan was too ambitious, so instead of moving a bunch of logs, we climbed the logs and put up a tarp. We used logs to weigh the tarp down on one side and some string to attach the other side to a tree. R was involved throughout the entire process and I loved listening to him vocalize his plans and narrate what he was doing.

We spent almost four hours building and playing in our fort and we had so much fun. We ate our lunch in the fort. We read books in the fort. We pretended we were watching exotic wild animals. We looked at slugs and salamanders. And we told "spooky" stories. They cracked me up! I am so grateful for being able to spend an uninterrupted afternoon with my son, and I'm thankful for the wonderful inspiration this challenge is already providing.

My Rules:

Before we started, I debated on whether or not to bring along my camera. I didn't want this to be about my blog because, for me, that would defeat the purpose of the challenge. However, taking pictures is what I do. I like to take pictures. I like to have pictures to show R's daddy. He often misses out on some of the fun we have because he's working, and he's working so that I may stay home. Pictures help me capture memories and it goes along with my mission statement. I did set a few rules for myself though. I will not ask him to stop what he's doing to take a picture and I will not experience the whole thing from behind a camera lens. Any staged photos with finished products, etc, will be taken after we have finished playing.  I will not set out with expectations to blog, but it might work out to where I can and do. 

Did you participate in today's challenge? Do you have fond memories of fort building?

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An Autumn Tradition- The Pumpkin Patch

We had a blast at a nearby pumpkin patch! Actually, it's a bit of a drive, but it's a tradition and it's worth it. This pumpkin patch is amazing. You could easily spend an entire day there. Here are a few of the pictures.

A gigantic mountain of gigantic tires.

Huge boxes of corn to play and jump in.

A trailer full of cotton to have fun with.

A fantastic, twirling tire swing.

A tricky maze made out of hay.

An exciting train ride!

Fields of cotton to explore.

And of course, a hayride to find the perfect pumpkin.

Look at how much he's grown!

 I've been wanting to replicate that mountain of tires for a long time. Doesn't that look amazing?! I think I have my husband talked into it!

This fall is speeding by. Have you been making the most of it?

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The Benefits of Climbing Trees

I included "climb trees" on my fall bucket list because you can never climb too many trees. Our autumn weather is wonderful for being outdoors and climbing a tree is an amazing way to spend an afternoon. This week R practiced in a tree at his Nana's house.

When he first started climbing trees he needed a lot of help, but this time he did it all by himself. He can now get into the tree by himself. He can navigate the branches. He knows where to place his hands as he moves from branch to branch. He practices judging which branches will hold his weight. He is learning which branches are not yet strong enough. And he is having loads of fun doing it.

I consider time spent outdoors to be critical during childhood. We don't always spend enough time outside, but I'm going to constantly strive for better because I know it's importance. I was watching R climb and I was struck by how fantastic it really is. R is learning a lot through play. Here are a few of the benefits of climbing a tree.

1. It promotes an increase of self-confidence. As he masters something new and challenging he gains confidence in himself. He is proud of himself.
2. Climbing is excellent for gross motor development. It's great exercise. It builds strength. It improves balance and coordination. 
3. It is fantastic for building critical thinking skills.  I helped him, when he was younger, figure out where to put his hands and feet. We talked about why some branches might not be safe. Now he's doing it on his own. Every tree is different and he has to figure it out each time he climbs.
4. It helps with resilience. R is less likely to stop and cry about a minor injury when he's enjoying something and thinks I might make him stop his cherished activity. It's teaching him to get up and brush himself off, so to speak. Although, at this point he hasn't fallen from a tree and the minor injuries are just scrapes and scratches.
5. Tree climbing expends energy.
6. It exercises imagination.
7. It delivers happiness. The happiness is evident by the smiles and giggles. It's fun!

Do your children climb trees? Do you have fond memories of climbing trees as a child?

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Chunkin' Pumpkin Painting

Pumpkins + paint + big movement = FUN fall art! This activity was inspired by this post from Hands On As We Grow. It was so simple to put together and provided a lot of entertainment. For us all! 

Materials Needed:

• Long piece of paper
• Washable paint
• Paper plates (or another suitable container to hold the paint)
• Small pie pumpkin
• Other bits of nature
• Clean up supplies (hose, buckets of water, or mop depending on where you do this activity)

The Setup:

I set this activity up by taping a long piece of butcher paper onto a concrete driveway. {On a side note, I absolutely adore my huge roll of butcher paper. I bought a roll with something like 900 feet of paper for less than twenty dollars at my local butcher. It was way cheaper than buying a roll of paper at a school/craft supply store.} I also poured red, yellow, orange, and brown paint into four different paper plates. While I was setting up, R and his daddy went and collected other bits of nature to try and paint with. He ended up painting with pumpkins, pine cones, acorns, and a small cluster of pine needles.

The Play:

He started off by dipping and rolling the pumpkin in a paint filled plate. When he thought he had enough paint on the pumpkin he would roll the pumpkin down the length of the paper. At least, it started off that way. It wasn't long at all before he was hurling it down the paper. He looked like he was bowling! And then it progressed to him getting a good running start, jumping, and chunking the pumpkin down the paper. He had a lot of fun with it. And, to my surprise, the pumpkin didn't explode.

Then, he tried the acorns. They made a neat splatter, but wasn't nearly as fun as the pumpkin. Next came the pine cones. He would throw them, scoot them, and roll them slowly. They made wonderful patterns. Finally, to finish his masterpiece, he painted with the cluster of pine needles. He dipped them in paint and then slapped the paper in various places.

He had a blast with this fall painting and he was proud of his "masterpiece." I plan on framing a portion and using the rest for cards and wrapping paper. I loved this activity because he had a ton of fun and it was super easy to set up and clean up. When he was finished we just hosed down the driveway. And since we used the Crayola washable paint, it easily washed out of his clothing. This is a new favorite!

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Fall Book Read-a-thon

Are you tired of reading about our fall bucket list? I hope not, because today we took down another leaf! We have been so busy the last several days, and it has been apparent by R's behavior that he wasn't happy about it. He likes our routine and our days, and I don't think he knows how to act when they are interrupted for an extended period of time. I feel bad because it's just the way it has to be right now, and I still want to be able to fit in special time. Today we took a break from the approximate eleven billion other things I needed to do and we had a fall book read-a-thon at the park!

First, we played. Hard. He had a lot of energy he needed to get worked out. We stayed a long time and he was joined on the playground by a sweet little girl, who surprised us all by giving him a great big kiss when we parted ways. Haha!

Then we found a quiet spot under some trees to read through our stack of fall books. We laid out a blanket and watched the leaves dance and fall around us. We cuddled and read a ton of books. We looked for leaf men! Here are a few of our absolute favorites.

• The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger
• Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
• Scary, Scary Halloween by Eve Bunting
• The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing

R really enjoyed our time together this afternoon. He already wants to do this again, and I can easily see this being a tradition. He told me that I was the best mommy ever, so it was a definite winner!

What are your favorite books to read during the autumn?

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A Day of Picnics

Have I mentioned that R loves picnics? He does. Whenever I really want to make him happy, I take him on a picnic. Instant happiness. In fact, just calling something a picnic makes him happy. Eating at the table? Well tonight we are having table picnic!! Yay!! Yet he cannot be fooled into thinking that eating at a picnic table outside is a picnic. No, no. A picnic outdoors calls for eating on a blanket on the ground! Seriously. I don't argue logic. I just go with what makes him happy. I like making him happy, so I planned a whole day of true outdoor picnics.



We started off our day with a picnic for breakfast! We often have picnics, but this was our first ever breakfast picnic. I packed up an autumn themed basket with some of our homemade pumpkin muffins and a few other much needed items and we headed out.  R had speech therapy that morning so we decided to go there and find a nice tree to sit under until it was time for his appointment. We had a lot of fun. We sat under a pecan tree that had hundreds of holes throughout its trunk. They were linear holes made by a sapsucker, a type of woodpecker. In the holes, scurried thousands of ants and one spider. We watched. We picked up pecan shells to use as boats the next time we went to a creek. We picked flowers. Oh yeah, and we ate breakfast.

For lunch we went to the lake with some friends. We spread out the blanket and ate sandwiches and fruit. We fed the ducks and geese. R splashed in the lake, which was probably his favorite part, and then changed clothes so that he could get filthy all over again. We played on the playground and in the sand. It was a fun filled lunch spent with wonderful company.

By the time dinner came around, I was in so much pain from back problems that I didn't think I could have another picnic. So to save the day and my emotions (I really wanted that day of picnics!!), R's wonderful daddy took him out on a special boys only, dessert picnic. They ate cookies and blew bubbles. And their party was crashed by a humongous lovable cat that just wandered up. I wish that I would have been out there too, but I'm happy they had special time together, just the two of them.

We spent almost the entire day outside, soaking up the autumn sun. R was thrilled with his day of picnics.

Would a day of picnics be possible for your family? What are some of your favorite picnic foods?

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Learning About Responsibility And Nature

My husband works in construction, and one day while he was digging he seen something moving in the ground. He hopped off his equipment and seen that there were several baby snapping turtles that had just hatched. They were so tiny, I can't believe he even seen them from where he was in the equipment. Luckily he did spot them. A construction site is no place for baby turtles. He brought them home with him and the next morning I called The Alabama Reptile Rescue Sanctuary to find out what we should do with them. The man I talked to was very nice and very informative. He suggested that we should just try to find a large body of water to set them free in. Luckily, we live relatively close to a huge lake and thats where we took them.

R fell in love with them quickly and his first opinion was that we should keep the cute baby turtles. We used this opportunity to learn about snapping turtles. We spoke about why they would be happier if we set them free and why we should be responsible with nature. We discussed being safe when trying to help animals. It was a neat learning experience. R was happy to help the seven babies and he watched them bob in the water until they were out of sight. He hopes that one day, when we visit, we might see them again.

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