Objective:
Learn about hibernation, run around a lot, be creative, work on sorting, categorizing, counting and number writing.

Materials:
Large cardboard box, or ‘den’ (procured beforehand from a furniture store)
Glue, tape, markers.
Download and print the Hibernation Activity Sheet, one for each child.
Download and print the Food Cards, cut as many as needed.
Book: Time to Sleep by Denise Flemming (Note: I’m sure there are better Hibernation books out there, I was not impressed with this one, it’s just all our library had in).

Optional: Have them bring a toy bear or other ‘hibernating animal’ for show-and-tell. I had them bring bears.

Introduction:
1. Read: Time to Sleep by Denise Flemming
2. Discuss: What does it mean to hibernate? What kind of animals hibernate? Why do they hibernate? Do you wish you could hibernate?
3. Explain: Hibernation is when an animal slows its body down for a long time, often during winter. Lots of different animals hibernate, not just bears: snails, skunks, turtles, woodchucks, ladybugs etc. Animals hibernate because in the winter it’s hard for them to find enough food.

Imaginative and Food Gathering Activity:

1. Tell the kids it’s time to pretend they’re bears. Have them crawl around and act like bears (if you dare).
2. Tell them that winter is coming and have everyone crawl into the ‘den’ (cardboard box) for their long winters nap. Have them pretend to be sleeping.
3. While they’re ‘sleeping’ sprinkle the plant and insect cards on the floor or in the yard outside the den.
4. Pretty soon the weather starts to get warmer, and the bears slowly wake up. Their hungry! And look, spring is here! That means there are lots of plants (leaves, grasses, herbs) and insects (grub worms, larvae, ants, termites) for them to eat.
5. Have the kids come out of the den and gather as many plants and insects as they can (note, don’t put out more food than can fit on their graph, I put out about 3-4 cards per child in hopes that everyone would get at least one, but no more than 5).
6. Have them set the food cards they gathered next to their toy hibernating animal.
7. Ask the kids to go back into the den. Have them pretend that spring has passed them by, have them tell you all the things that they as ‘bears’ did that spring. While they’re talking sprinkle the berry cards on the ground.
8. Tell them that now summer has come, and it’s time to start looking for delicious fruit and berries (blackberries, elderberries, raspberries, wild cherries) to eat.
9. As before, have them gather the cards and set them in the appropriate spot.
10. Repeat steps 5-7 for fall, have them gather nuts (acorns, pecans, walnuts, hickory nuts) and small animals (mice, peccaries, beaver, muskrats even young deer).
11. Now it’s winter time again, time to go to sleep. But first, lets see if we’ve eaten enough food to get fat enough to hibernate all winter.

Recess!
I let the kids play in the box for ‘recess’ at this point. They played ‘bears’ on their own for about 20 minutes before we started the sorting activity.

Sorting Activity (see chart above)

1. Have the kids practice writing numbers by tracing in 1-5 along the left hand side.
2. Ask the kids to sort their cards into piles. All the berries, plants etc.
3. Give each kid a glue stick and have them glue the cards in the appropriate column (note: I had to help the 3 year olds with this, the 4-5 year olds did it fine on their own, worked best to ALL do the plants, then ALL do the nuts, etc.)

Discuss (over snacks of ‘bear food’ berries, nuts etc): Do you think you got enough food to survive the winter? Do you wish you could sleep all winter? Do you think you would like going out and gathering your own food?

Closing:
Re-Cap what you’ve learned about hibernation.

Extensions:
The following day we took a walk to see if we could observe other winter animal homes.

Note: I also came across this lesson plan on hibernation. More great ideas.

Last week Adventure Parents posted a link (on their facebook page) to an article about a woman rock climbing with a  two-year-old on her back

This article was accompanied by the photo on the right.

I wanted to comment on his post. I just couldn’t find the words… I mean, the photo looks pretty sketchy, and while I personally wouldn’t have felt comfortable with this, I sorta get why she made this decision. I know what it’s like to want so badly to continue all the outdoor hobbies you did before you had children. You crave that feeling of adventure, adrenaline, the freedom and just plain feeling like yourself!

…and lets face it, you want to prove wrong all those people who made you think your adventurous life was over the day you got pregnant.

I’ve been just as tempted as the next guy to strap a pack-n-play to the front of a raft. But it never seemed quite like the good idea I wanted it to be. For me it came down to the risks involved. Or is it because as Menna says in the article: we have become a “sue-and-blame culture” where “so many people are nervous, so afraid of getting into trouble, and taking small risks.”?

I want your thoughts on this! Does this look like a “small risk”? Do you agree with her decision? Is our culture just over paranoid?

All thoughts are welcome!

Getting out with the intent of seeing birds is a fabulous past time for families–I have many fond memories of making bird lists, arguing with my dad about the identity of tiny sparrows, and seeing much of Utah through my binoculars…

But birding in your backyard can be just as rewarding.  What’s more, building a bird paradise in your backyard is helpful to the little critters–especially in cities and urban areas where food isn’t as plentiful as it once was.  And it’s a great project for you and your kids.  Migration season is just getting started in some areas of the U.S., as birds from Mexico and South America make their way north, and food is scarce in areas inundated by winter.  Spend a weekend preparing a stop-over for weary birds.  Many bird feeders can be home-made; the same is true for nesting boxes and bird baths.  Involve your kids in making suet, hummingbird nectar, and fruit feeders.  Together, map out where to put different types of feeders for maximum visibility.

What’s more, ‘backyard birding’ is something that can be enjoyed by your kids when truly getting outside just isn’t in the cards.

Get some bird feeders

There are a few different kinds of feeders on the market (and many can be made by you and your kids at home).  At a minimum, pick up a platform feeder and a tube feeder.  For the platform feeder, because they aren’t sheltered from the weather, it’s best to get one with a screen bottom, or a few drainage holes.  These feeders are the favorite dining place of juncos, jays, pigeons, sparrows, and blackbirds.  A tube feeder with several right-side-up and upside-down perches will bring in finches, sparrows, chickadees, and titmice.  Also consider window feeders (these are especially nice because of the proximity of the birds, and because there are less window-crashes with these types), sock/thistle feeders, and (of course) a hummingbird feeder in the summer.  Separately (and one of my favorites), pick up a suet feeder.

I’m a make-your-own kinda gal, and many of these feeders can be made from scraps around the house.  Here are plans for a platform feeder.  Here are instructions for a coffee-can feeder.  And here are instructions for a sock feeder (for thistle).

Get some bird food

Sunflower seed attracts the greatest diversity of birds.  There are two types: black oil and striped.  The black oil sunflower seeds are like candy–with a nice thin shell any bird can eat them!  Striped sunflower seeds are a little harder for some bird beaks (this can be a good thing–if you’re getting too many birds and they’re eating you out of house and home, try switching from black oil to striped sunflower seeds).  Sprinkle safflower and peanuts on your platform feeders to attract grosbeaks, cardinals, and jays.  I love watching jays take peanuts off of a platform feeder and bury them in the backyard.  You can bake egg shells at 250° oven for 20 minutes, and put them on the platform feeders –a great source of calcium for little birdies.  Finally, nyjer or thistle seed is good for finches and siskens… but you’ll need a thistle feeder because the seed is so small.

Those pre-mixed cheap bags that you can buy?  Don’t.  They’re full of filler that birds won’t eat and you’re wasting your money.  Another fun way to attract birds is to cut an orange in half and nail it to a fence post.  Orioles, tanagers and waxwings love these! You can either buy suet in order to attract wrens, woodpeckers, and nuthatches, or make your own.  Here is a good suet recipe.  Finally, don’t forget to make your own hummingbird food in the summer.

Here is a more comprehensive list of what birds like to eat.

With all of these feeders, when you refill them, be sure to empty out any old seed that has been sitting… mold will do serious harm to birds!  The same goes for hummingbird food.  In both cases, don’t let seed or nectar sit for more then two days–that’s when mold starts to grow–especially in the more-humid east!

Put ‘em up!

The best spot for feeders is either three feet or closer to a window (any further away, and a bird who takes off quickly will be going dangerously fast when it hits), or well away from the windows… say near/under a tree where birds can hide easily.  There are bird feeder hanging poles that you can stick in the yard to put up your feeders wherever you want.  And if you’rereally on the ball, you can put up a whole birdfeeding station!

Make a birdbath

Rather than spend money on one of those fancy concrete ones, just use an old frying pan, a circle sled, or an inverted trashcan lid.  Put it near or on the ground; under three feet (but if there are outdoor cats around make sure that there is no place nearby for kitty to hide and sneak up on the bathing birds!).  Fill it so that at it’s deepest it’s about two inches deep.  Put a little gravel in the bottom for good purchase, and place a stick or dowel over the water for the birds to land on in order to drink.

Put out some nesting material

Cut yarn in to 4 inch pieces, brush the dog and save all the hair, put out cotton batting, save up pine needles, short sticks, put out grass clippings… all of these things are great for birds that have nests to build!  Get a second suet feeder and fill it with your offerings.  For piles of pine needles, sticks, and grass clippings, place them all in one of those cardboard berry boxes.

Make a nesting box

Many birds make their own nests and don’t really need your help, but many will nest in boxes built to the right specifications…  And watching baby birds grow is extremely rewarding.  Here are plans for a variety of nesting boxes, depending on what you want to attract.  And here are plans for a simple nesting tube out of a pvc pipe.

Finally, if you want to go all out, you can plant shrubs and trees that provide food and shelter for little birds.  Here is a great list of some to foliage that is good-looking, and also great for birds!

Now that your backyard bird retreat is all set up, get to watching!  A bird book and some binoculars will help (we’ve written before about how to teach kids to use binoculars).  Put a sheet of paper up by the backdoor and keep track of what you see that is new.  Help out the scientists studying bird migration patterns by joining project feeder watch! Take pictures of the birds and submit them to a photo contest online.  Participate in the great backyard bird count (February 18th this year!).  Or (my favorite) practice the art of holding still near the bird feeders.

I got to thinking the other day that I needed to update our ‘car kit’. I started making a list of all the things I would need if stranded in/near my car with my family (in any season). After pondering the list I quickly realized I should consult Olivia.

As I read her list I had to laugh.

Why? Because being that I’ve spent a lot of time in the backcountry and on the road with Olivia I’ve personally seen nearly every one of these items in use. I can also recall several personal experiences where I wish I had this stuff (see stuck on beach photo below).

It may seem like a lot, but Olivia assures me she has all her emergency stuff shoved into one box that always rides in the back of her car.  In the winter she also tosses in the duffle bag full of extra clothes and warmish things (her duffle bag, by the way, has a shoulder strap, so if she had to walk , she could use it to carry stuff).

It’s all great info, so I thought I’d share the list with other travelers. (more…)

If you saw my new years resolutions you already know of my quest for the perfect granola bar. What makes the perfect granola bar you ask?

• Easy to make: Yes, I want to make them, so I’m in search of a recipe. Preferably one that’s quick and easy.
• Healthy: A lot of whole grains, not a lot of sugar.
• Packability: I need to be able to individually wrap and store them (in the freezer). Also need them to hold up relatively well even if shoved at the bottom of a backpack.
• Chewiness: I don’t want them to fall apart when you pick them up (so they can be eaten in the van or a while walking on the trail), nor do I want something that turns into a jaw breaker after 4 days.
• Kid approved: My kids need to love them as much as they love Honey Graham Z-Bars and Quakers.

Over the weekend I tried this recipe for Kati’s Granola Bars (as suggested by Amelia from Tales of a Mt. Mama). The recipe involved: rolled oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter, honey and whatever else you want to mix in (I added craisins, sunflower seeds, almonds and coconut).

Overall I’d say these were great tasting chewy granola bars, but had a few kinks I’d need to work out:

1. They fell apart pretty easily when eaten by a small moving child.

2. My oldest thought were “too sweet”! But I have to admit, they were a bit sweet for me too.

3. I need to make them a little less dense. But how…?

HELP! As I try to create my own perfect adventure worthy granola bar, I want more suggestions. Do you have a favorite recipe I can try? Favorite ingredients? Tips? Thoughts? Ever added something like rice krispies?

In return I promise to share my recipe once I’ve created the perfect granola bar!

I sent the following email to my friend Amber the other day:

I’m thinking of doing a blog post about teaching kids to ski. I was wondering if you could help me out since my kids don’t really ski (yet). Will you send me your 5 best tips/advice when it comes to getting kids off on the right track? Please. Pretty please?

This was her original reply…

#1. snacks
#2. snacks
#3. snacks
#4. sun
#5. patience

I can see why our kids are such good friends, they both speak the (probably universal) kid language of ‘snacks’.

Then she sent me a few more ideas. I was thoroughly impressed, and think that a lot of her ideas could actually apply to teaching your kids pretty much any new outdoor sport.

Also, FYI: She has 3 kids. Ages: 0, 4 and 7.

_________________

So you want to teach your kid how to ski? Nothing else can provide so much outdoor enjoyment during the cold, and hopefully snowy, winter months. But how to begin? I had to consult the practical, organized one in the family (my husband, Alex) to make sure all of the bases were covered and we came up with the following list… (Listed in order of importance. According to me).

1. SNACKS

For our children, everything is more enjoyable when there are snacks involved. Actually, everything’s more enjoyable for me when there are snacks involved!

The adults are in charge of stuffing the pockets of their coats with snacks of various kinds. The key to choosing an appropriate snack is taking into consideration the “sticky when damp” factor. Fruit snacks hold up surprisingly well, candy cane pieces, not so well. It’s also best not to take along candy that is individually wrapped (ex. Starburst), It’s no fun explaining to your little skier that you can’t go pick up the litter that is fluttering down to rest on the steep cliff beneath you on the lift.

We’ve found that it is necessary to be strategic with where snacks are administered: Ski lift…yes, ski run…no (it makes the run interminably long). Lodge…maybe (depending on how cold the day is). The lodge can be a black hole, once you venture in, the likelihood of getting back out onto the slope is poor. Our kids are usually good for only 2-4 hours of skiing. We feed them a good breakfast then tide them over with snacks until lunch time. We usually save the lodge for hot chocolate and lunch after the skiing is over. Or, if they let us get away with it, lunch in the car on the way back home.

Timing of snacks is key. Too many snacks and you have no leverage to encourage your tike to take one more run. Our system is to give 2 pieces of candy on the “baby lift”, 3-4 on the “big kid” lift.  It’s amazing what kids will do for 1 or 2 more pieces of candy!

2. PATIENCE

As with any new activity you start with your child, patience is key to success (success in skiing = your child has fun and makes it home in 1 piece, you keep your sanity). (more…)

Last week was wonderful here in the greater Reno area. I know I’ll regret that statement come May and there’s no kayak season; and I feel bad for all the ski resorts around Tahoe, I really do… But we just couldn’t help but take advantage of that spring like sunshine. The kids and I spent a day by the lake. Feet in the sand, toes in the water, my arm sore from skipping rocks over and over and over trying unsuccessfully to prove I was a “better rock skipper than Dad”. We built sand piles (Tahoe sand doesn’t pack well), laid in the sun, ate lots of snacks, dug for treasures and threw a Christmas party for all the plastic sea animals we’d brought.

It was one of those days I just loved being a Mom. I think we all need a warm January day now-and-then.

But judging by this picture of my kids attire while playing trains today, I think it’s safe to say their ready for some snow… (more…)

Here it is!  The final installment of our list of books about nature and the outdoors for your kids!  So far we’ve covered books you can read to your little ones, intermediate readers, and now we progress to advanced books, for the avid and proficient reader.

This was the hardest list yet for two reasons 1) advanced reader and adult book are hard to distinguish between (and in many cases are the same thing) which means that 2) there were a heckuvalot of books to choose from!  I’ve narrowed it down to ten (and okay, so I cheated and included a few extras) that are mild enough for the younger mind, who may be able to read adult literature easily, but may not be able to process some of the more… shall we say… complex outdoor themes found in books for adults.  For that reason I left off several good books that had any blatant political overtones about the natural world (i.e. Edward Abbey, much as I love him), a few of my favorites that had adult language or themes (Touching the Void, Botany of Desire, etc.).   (Perhaps I’ll do an Adult reader list down the road?)

It is interesting to compare the three lists.  The book list for the younger reader shows an emphasis on nature, and changing seasons, and animal life.  The intermediate reader list emphasized adventure and survival.  This list has a little of both–but what is most distinctive about this list is that all but one of the books listed are true stories.  There are very few fictional nature stories for advanced readers (as far as I can tell).

I’d be interested to know of any that you’ve come across!

1.  My Family and Other Animals (and the rest of the series by Gerald Durrell)..    I’ve only read one of the series Durrell wrote, but I was so captivated that I fully intend to read the rest!  This story masterfully chronicles life after his mother moved the whole family to the Greek island of Corfu when he was a boy.  His stories of his family are perfectly meshed with stories of the natural history of the island.  Did I mention that it’s hilarious?  Durrell went on achieve distinction as a zookeeper and establisher of wildlife centers.

2.  All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot.  I read this book when I was 13… it’s where I learned the word ‘flatulence’… a condition an English bulldog was suffering from, much to the dismay of his ladylike owner.  Harriot was a veterinarian who worked with creatures of all kinds.  He also has a knack for telling a story, and they (almost) always end happily and making you love the character of your own pet just a little bit more.  If you like this book, Harriot has three others along the same lines, I think. (more…)

Ari went through this phase where he insisted on turning everything into a bar graph. It was pretty random, but pretty awesome. We graphed his weight over time, the size of his toy cars, the ages of everyone he knows, etc.

While in the midst of this phase he came to me one afternoon and said “Mom, I want to do some science and make a graph, with this!” He held up a meat thermometer.

I started off by handing him 2 cups of water. One that had been microwaved, the other straight from the tap. I told him to measure the two and see what their temperatures were. He did. Then he wanted to graph them. He then proceeded to measure the fridge, cupboard, yard, plant soil, etc. Each time coming back to me for help plotting it on his graph. He had to wait 2 minutes in between each “experiment” and had to let the thermometer sit for 2 minutes to “run the experiment”. This kept him busy for a good hour while I cooked dinner… which as you can tell from experiment #5 involved chicken. (Sorry, had I know I would be sharing this I would have written a little more legibly).

He felt like a real scientist. He was so giddy.

It also allowed us to discuss things like “why is the backyard warmer than the front yard”, “why is your mouth so warm”, “what temperature keeps things frozen” and other important ‘scientist’ topics. And you know what the big ahaa moment was for him? The van was colder than the refrigerator!! Oh. My. Heck.

We plan to take the meat thermometer on our next bike ride… I’m sure he’ll think of all sorts of things to measure, and we’ll have fun comparing the results to our inside graph.

Next time your child is pining at you for something to do while you cook dinner, hand them a meat thermometer.