Nature Connection

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 38 - Celebrate Earth Day!

Today is the 50th annual Earth Day! Celebrate all the Earth does for us and give back by taking time to pick up trash in your yard, along the side of the road or on a hiking trail. You don’t have to go far from home to find a little piece of the Earth that needs some care and attention.

Find a stick outside and wrap it in colored yarn. Create any pattern you like and tuck in some leaves, feathers or thread some beads onto your yarn to decorate the stick. It can make a beautiful, natural decoration to keep in your home or it might be the perfect magic wand!

Our online nature programs include many fun nature crafts and projects like this! Visit Woodland (ages 4-6), Evergreen (ages 7-11) and Ironwood (ages 12-17) …

Imagine that you are an astronaut that has been living in space and you are looking toward the earth, counting the time until your return. Finally you return and have a chance to walk again on this planet. How will it be to walk among the beings of this world? What will your steps feel like? 

Have fun and enjoy yourself as you rediscover the joy of walking and being on this earth. If you are n…

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 35 - Go Bird Watching

There is a whole world of birds around us in the spring, but many of us don’t take time to notice and appreciate them. Today’s challenge is to go bird watching. Go outside, be still for a few minutes and see how many different kinds of birds you can see and hear around you. Challenge yourself to identify as many of them as you can, either by sight or by their song. Allow yourself to be in awe of their beauty and enjoy the moment.

Today’s challenge is to get outside and play hid-and-seek! If you have access to a wooded area, hiding and seeking among the trees can be so much fun. It does help to establish some natural boundaries if the wooded area is large, and especially when playing with children. Enjoy your time in nature today!

Today’s challenge is simple, but one that can bring much peace, relaxation and joy. Grab a book or a few and head outside to read. Bring a blanket and spread it out on the grass or wrap up in your blanket under a tree, or settle into a lawn chair or hammock. Read on your own while the kids play or snuggle up with your children and read together. Enjoy a good book or two while soaking in the sunshine and fresh air!

Nature Challenge - Day 32 - Make a Nature Obstacle Coarse

Challenge yourself to move your body and get fit by creating obstacles with things you find in nature. Balance on a log, jump over pine cones, weave through tree trunks. Make it extra challenging by timing yourself and trying to beat your own time. Be creative and have fun!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 31 - Writing a Thank You Note to the Earth

Today’s challenge is to write a quick thank you note to the Earth itself or a plant, animal or natural phenomenon that inspires or supports you (ex. Dear Maple Tree, Dear trickling brook, Dear Honey Bee…)

Many of us take nature for granted and walk through much of our lives oblivious of nature’s role in sustaining us. When a someone gives us a gift or supports our growth it is customary to express gratitude by writing…

If you look closely, you will find many patterns in nature. A pattern doesn’t necessarily need be a design that repeats or is symmetrical, which is how we usually learn to recognize a pattern. While this holds true, a pattern could also be something that is not regular and repeating, but isn’t totally random. Think of the bark on a tree. The ridges and shapes may reveal a pattern. Other types of patterns like spirals can be found in so…

Nature Connection Challenge Day 29 - Sense of Taste

Sense of Taste
The sense of taste along with the sense of smell are the oldest of the senses and as such they are tied together. Our tongue can differentiate between the flavors, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The way in which we perceive flavor, however, results in particular from a combination of our senses of smell, taste and touch. It is the interplay of these senses that determines whether we like the taste of a given food or dish.
The Pr…