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Fun Nature Days Out for All Home Schoolers
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Home School |
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Fun Nature Days Out for All Home Schoolers
By Ina Woolcott
If you need some outdoor-variation, a good idea is planning a 'back to
nature' day every month or so. This is extra special time spent outdoors,
and is of course in addition to the usual time spent outdoors and no
replacement for getting out daily. It is a special day, something to look
forward to for the whole family, and to plan ahead. Wherever you decide you
want to go as a family, this will be a special place away from home where
flora and fauna can be observed as well as the cyclical seasonal changes and
weather.
Getting Started
When preparing your getaway, the following guidelines may be of use to you:
Where is the place located?
Is it free, or low cost?
Is there a family membership available?
Is it suitable for children?
Is it naturalist available
Does it require access at night? Is it safe?
There is a wide range of environments out there to pick from such as:
The beach
Valleys
Natural Heritage Sites
Wildfowl Trusts
Nature Trails
Streams/Rivers/Lakes/Ponds
Fields
Hills/Mountains
Forest/woods
Desert
Marsh/Bog/Swamp
Tundra
Rainforest
An Island
Of course, no where offers all the above, but there are places such as parks
and woodlands with varied areas of exploration. If there are any restricted
areas, check with the local council to see whether you can gain permission
to use the area. There may be some form filling in required and waiting a
while, but these areas are excellent as they are never overcrowded!
Your Back Garden
Most back gardens are rich in wildlife of some kind. Spend time in your
garden, for instance when you eat, want to sunbathe or just want to relax.
Observe how many kinds of insects, animals - squirrel, bird, hedgehog,
plants, trees, etc. you can see. If your grass is short with just one type
of grass, make your garden more appealing to wildlife. For instance get a
birdbath or two, hang up bird feeders, erect a bird house or two. Make a
brush pile out of some old hedge clippings. Turn the soil over and see how
many worms you find! If you have a big garden, or even small garden, leave a
section of the garden to grow wild - the grass gets longer, weeds appear and
perhaps a young tree will also arrive. A wider array of insects will make
themselves at home.
Keeping a Nature Notebook
Encourage your child to keep a 'Nature Notebook'. In this they can draw,
press leaves and flowers, perhaps write a poem, descriptions of natural
items found. They can also draw on separate sheets of paper and then stick
them in later. This notebook is the child's personal work and there is no
need for correction. The preceding years will show natural improvement in
the art work. As the child becomes a more accurate observer, their artwork
reflects the change and although they may not necessarily become a famous
artist, they will still view their work with affection for years to come.
Parents can set a good example for the children by starting their own
notebooks
A Walk in Nature, and Things to Bring
The stuff required for a day out can be heavy, so employ your childrens
help! It is best to bring lots of equipment so as to not miss any
opportunities and regret not having bought a certain item. You need to be
ready for what your area may have on offer. The following is a checklist (by
no means encompassing everything) that you may find useful:
Wellies/old shoes/change of socks
Nature Notebook/paper
Pencils/felt tips/rubber/ruler etc
Bug box with magnifying tops (remember to release all bugs back into nature
once ready and not to kill anything)
Compass
Map
Stopwatch
Sandwich bags/Ziploc bags
Binoculars
Torch
Perhaps animal/plant/bird species book
Bird seed
Water and Lunch/Snacks
If conducting a wetland study, in addition to the above:
A dipping net
A shallow basin
Buckets
Plankton net
If conducting a field, forest or desert study, again in addition to the:
above
bug net and cage
leaf/flower press
If conducting a Geological study, again in addition to the above:
A rock hammer
Pair of gloves
A canvas bag
A pair of goggles
Remember: Boots always seem to be shorter than the water into which you go!
Beware of wet feet. Also, always tell someone your whereabouts and how long
you'll be gone.
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