Gearing up for a summer weekend? Here are a few ideas for family activities that are fun, healthy, and interesting!

1) Fly a kite! Every time we drive by a flying flag my son says,” Today is a good day to fly a kite!” Although kite flying is a bit of an art, just head your kite into the wind and it will take off! Advanced kite fliers can do tricks, or keep the kite flying for a long time…. but for some kids, the fun is in the take-off, so “failure” leads to great fun and success!

2) Explore tide pools. Bring a bucket and a net, then head out to the coast, turn over rocks looking for crabs, barnacles, feeder fish, snails and other little critters. Wear a hat, bring some pb&j, and make it a family outing! If you want, pick up a field guide and identify all the critters (unless you already know them!)

3) Pick wild flowers.The fields, hills and valley are full of beautiful flowers; spend half a day outside exploring the various types of flowers that grow in different habitats. Bring some home to adorn a nature table or the dinning room table… just keep in mind that these flowers are part of the eco-system and birds, butterflies and bugs rely on them for food and shelter, so always leave at least half the flowers for our animal friends.

4) Follow your nose. Leave a “plan” at home, head out the back (or front) door and off into your neighborhood, community, woods, fields, where ever is around your living area… regardless of an urban, rural or suburban setting… the trick is… leave the car home and just explore. In the city, look for plants growing up between the concrete imaging how much that plant wanted to live in order to grow from a crack in the pavement!

5) Kayak or Canoe. A little expensive if you’ve got a budget, but small boats can be rented or maybe borrowed from a friend- small children can ride in adults laps; nooks and crannies, usually inaccessible by foot or large watercraft, can be discovered and explored. Always wear a life jacket and bring some extra water!

Always remember safety and FUN are the most important ingredients to a great day with kids!

What are your favorite summer activities?

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As a child I spend most daylight hours outside, building forts, digging in the mud or dirt, helping in the garden, playing in our awesome tree house, riding a mountain bike, rolling down hills.

We played “we’re going on a bear (lion, tiger) hunt” everywhere we went.

Now, as an adult, I still turn to these engaging and freeing activities when life is just plain overwhelming. But now, it’s at the beckoning of the children.

That’s why the children and nature movement is so important to me.

Just across the swamp the neighborhood is full of kids, some late summer nights I can hear their noises after dark and Ienjoy hearing their laughter and knowing they are kids being kids.

So moms and dads, caregivers, teachers… lets reach out, take a child by the hand and go explore the forests, rivers, ponds, oceans, mountains, valleys…. or perhaps the best place to investigate is right outside our front or back door.

Share your findings with me! ~ The Backyard Mama

Picture Credit: That’s me as a tiny tyke climbing in Mesa Verde- my parents surely took me by the hand!

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(Video clip of Storytime Yoga)

I am offering classes for children 3-5 and 5-7 at All That Matter’s in Wakefield, RI starting September. Come over and loosen up! Or email me with yoga in the subject line and I can send you a complete listing my yoga classes.

On Saturday I attended a wonderful yoga class in a South Kingstown playground… the setting was awesome. Warming up on the dew covered grass was soothing and cooling to my body then, the sun rose above the pine trees just in time for us to offer Sun Salutations of gratitude. Our bodies warmed from the external heat from the sun and the internal heat of giving time for our inner light to shine.

Family Yoga is a wonderful option for a delightful outdoor activity.

Enjoy! ~ The Backyard Mama

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10.  Dive in the water… any water… play in the hose…. in a kiddy pool…

9. Clear out your freezer. Wet your clothes, put them into the freezer- when frozen- get dressed!

8. Lay in a pool of ice.

7. Go for a run… it’s sure to cool you off when you get back.

6. Run around naked with a wet rag on your head.

5. Sit in front of a fan with a wet towel around you.

4. Go shopping in the frozen section of the grocery store.

3. Head out in an air conditioned car and get some ice cream.

2. Enjoy it! This too shall pass. Watch the birds they’re playing in the water!

1. I’m remembering the fun I had making this snow angel… and am cooling right off!

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Today I honor my mother for it’s her birthday and she has spent a lifetime planting seeds of encouragement, faith, joy, wonder, peas, carrots, broccoli and more… so:

Happy Birthday Mom!

It doesn’t surprise me that her birthday is right after the Great Backyard Campout…. she is a top of the line “nature nut”.

Today we removed some of our “old” peas- the ones that have turned yellow and wilted- and we’re ready to plant more beans!

Here’s our garden last week:

The flowers are stunning! 

The lavender is in full bloom and smells wonderful!

 Butterfly weed- a butterfly attractor that has such a wonderful orange color!

Echinacea, a beautiful medicinal herb and delightful flower for any backyard garden!

Gardening with kids is a great way to teach colors, textures, shapes, responsibility, and even some physics.

Here’s our cucumber tipi we’ll see if it’s strong enough for all these cukes!

Gardening isn’t just about results.

It’s about spending time outside, sharing food, getting excited about the colors, shapes, and sizes of the seeds, being careful and caring and remembering to water the seeds so they will grow.

There’s an African proverb:

If you can talk you can sing and if you can walk you can dance.

I believe, if you can eat you can grow food.

Head out today and plant some beans or chard or kale. Then get a bucket or a watering can or an old milk jug and show your child any age, how to water those seeds-  have faith and trust and encouragement- and let that child and those seeds GROW.

Good luck and let me know how your garden’s going! ~ The Backyard Mama

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My son likes to climb trees and I encourage it.

As he climbs, he is using his whole body: hand- eye coordination, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, both the left and right side of his body are engaged, activating both hemisphere’s of the brain, he enjoys it, is challenged, and the work increases his strength.

He’s totally focused.

Nature play is a whole body learning activity…. and engages children in all learning areas.

Have you played outside today?

***********************************

I am excited to have you back for another children and nature blog carnival.

The rules:

1) The carnival is open to all outdoor enthusiasts.

The topic with change weekly but the theme of connecting children (and adults) to nature will remain constant.

2) I will announce the topic each Wednesday for the following weeks.

3) Write your post at your convenience.

Each Wednesday come over and enter your permalink through McLinky. Please include blurb at the end of your post such as “this post is part of the Backyard Mama Children and Nature blog carnival” and link back to me.

And do take the time to read other posts!

Mcklinky closes at 11:59pm May 6th, 2010.

I wrote this post as my contribution to the Steady Mom 30 minute blog challenge this week. Stop over and check out all the great posts there! (Post written in just barely 30 minutes!)

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I turn 33 today.

I was born to two phenomenal people who lived in the Renaissance Community, a hippy commune in Western Massachusetts.  I made my grand entry into the world at 5:35 am and when my parents brought me home from the hospital, their friends had filled the room with lilacs. That’s still my favorite smell.

Growing up we moved a lot- to Rhode Island, Chicago, Michigan, and New York, but we always planted a garden and spent our free time playing outside.

My parents tell stories of our our outdoor adventures when I was little, and I remember camping trips, hikes, nature walks, backyard play, gardening, kayaking, canoeing… all sorts of fun.

I went to Waldorf School, spurred by my parents love of nature and keeping us close to the earth and experiencing the changing seasons.

It’s not surprising that I have decided to commit my life to spreading the word about the importance of nature play.

I am so grateful for my life… for my family… for all the life that continues to sustain me.

Here are 11 things I want to do today on my birthday:

1. call my parents and say thank you!
2. run barefoot in the grass.
3. smell the lilacs.
4. practice yoga.
5. laugh with children.
6. drink a latte.
7. snuggle with my son.
8. pray.
9. listen to the wind.
10.  feel the sun.
11.  plant.

Here are 11 things I want to do this year:

1. grow a large garden and give food away.
2. start a business.
3. get my community excited about nature play.
4. encourage more unstructured play.
5. visit New Mexico.
6. go on an overnight backpacking trip.
7. sleep outside under the stars.
8. find treasures in the forest.
9. read books.
10.  teach yoga.
11.  grow.

And 11 things I want to do in this lifetime:

1. go to Australia (again).
2. deliver a baby.
3. hike (part of) the Appalachian trail.
4. live off the grid for an extended time.
5. be self-sufficient.
6. write at least one book.
7. learn to ride a horse.
8. travel.
9. always serve the highest good.
10.  spend time everyday with children.
11.  blossom.

And I’m off to reflect on what I’ve learned this year… and then snuggle on the couch with a book and some hot cocoa.

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Rainbows occur when sunlight bounces off water- it’s a dance of water fairies and sun (fire) fairies. (Highly technical here!)

The sun rays (light) split as they enter the water and are refracted creating all the colors of the rainbow.

On Earth Day, we were blessed with perfect weather all day and then an evening rain storm just as the sun was setting.

We snuck out for a pizza dinner at our favorite local dive and on our way home we saw a full arching rainbow.

And this one was REALLY special because it was Jeremiah’s first memorable rainbow and I want to share it with you.

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I think the best thing to do with kids on Earth Day is to spend your day playing outside. Maybe structure sometime to venture out on a hike or dig in the garden- but spending time together under the blue sky and on the green grass- is the best.

Now, that’s what I think everyone needs to do everyday. So what makes it special on Earth Day? Do it with intention.

Rather then spending your Green Hour outside, unconsciously having fun; put your heart into it… get connected with the Earth.

Maybe you need a physical connection: roll in the mud, dig in the dirt, climb a tree, catch a frog, dive into a fresh water pond, learn the song of a bird, hug a tree, or maybe even eat a worm.

Get connected.

Anyone can pick up garbage, or plant a tree; outstanding people feel up-lifted and nurtured by doing this.

A couple weeks ago I lead a  workshop for early childhood educators on Linking to Nature. I really think one of the most important things for caregivers to do is explore their own beliefs and limitations about playing outside.

So, of course, we went outside on a scavenger hunt and got connected to nature.

Each group got a list of items to find outside. It was a windy, cold day and even this self-proclaimed “nature nut” had a tough time hanging out in that weather!

Despite this, these teachers did it and upon returning to the classroom, I asked them to create something with their items.

Here’s what two groups made:

Here in my backyard, this is what we’re planning to do for Earth Day- we’re gonna head out to the pine forest and create Earth Sculptures- some might even call them “alters” to the Earth.

Above all, my intention will be to share with the children the magnificence of our World and honor the piece of the Earth that we live with.

I’ll be sure to take pictures and share them here later this week!

********************

Thanks once again for joining the Nature and Children Blog Carnival link-up. I’ve enjoyed each moment reading all the spectacular posts submitted the past few weeks.

In honor of Earth Day I am keeping the links open until 11:59 pm 4/22/10. Share what you did for the day (or stay unplugged)!

I am a part of such an outstanding group of nature lovers and each of you make my connection to the Earth a little better every day.

Thank you- from the bottom to the top of my heart.

Come back next week too! (Ain’t this kinda fun- like a mid-summer campfire cookout?)

Themes:

April 28th Mayday and Kids

May 5 writer’s choice

Please remember to link back to this post and other then that- unplug and get outside!

~ Shannon (The Backyard Mama)

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I’ve been doing some spring cleaning; but unlike most folks who clear the clutter and re-organize inside, I’ve been outside, spreading compost, planting seeds, expanding the garden- beautifying my little piece of this great planet.

And then I came across a gnarly, nasty stump, and for the past two weeks I’ve been chipping away at it, lopping one feeder root after another till today; success and a job well done!

So, I am really feeling connected to the root kingdom right now; and I got to thinking- this is really a metaphor for removing the “stuck” stuff in my life.

We’ve all got “those things” that we want to get rid of, belief systems, ideas, traditions, rules, that set limitations on beautifying life. And they get really rooted in their, like the stump, there are big roots near the surface, lots of smaller off shoots, and then a deep feeder root that’s big and deeply rooted at the core.

Well, so long as we’re diligent, persistent and steadfast, it is possible to uproot those limitations, to break free from the “stuff” that binds us and then voila:

There’s space to fill in with new ideas; or new soil- fertile grown in which to plant flowers or bushes, fruits or vegetables; this is beauty to nourish my senses and my soul.

Thanks to the root kingdom for setting me FREE!

This is part of the Steady Mom 30- minute blog challenge- “say it with me only in 30 minutes”!

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