First Day Hike 2016!

We love starting the New Year out with a First Day Hike! This is our fourth year doing it, visiting state parks or going out on our own. We have all been under the weather with severe colds for a while, so chose to stick closer to home. I will be honest here, too. While it was neat to see pictures of 200+ people at some of the hikes that we were considering, that is a big large for a good guided hike sometimes. Our cozy hike of family plus a friend was just the right size!

To encourage our sense of ADVENTURE in 2016, we decided to go with a place that is only about 20 minutes from our house that we had actually never visited. Dr. T.K. Lawless Park is an 820 acre park in Vandalia, Michigan. They have many recreational options, such as mountain biking (not during the winter), cross country skiing, inner tube sledding, disc golf, recreational fields (volleyball, baseball, soccer), etc. They also offer camping sites and a cabin as well. We'll have to check this out in the warmer months! We also want to try out the Winter Nights, on some Saturday nights during the winter. The Winter Nights include a bonfire, refreshments for purchase, lighted tubing and cross country skiing hills, wagon rides, crafts, and nature experiences. I put these dates on the nature calendar at Inside Outside Michiana for your convenience and they are on the linked website above.

Gifts of Nature: 10 Holiday Nature Gift Ideas

Volunteer Dennis Badke, from FoxWood Raptor and Wildlife Rehabilitation presents a Great Horned Owl at Woodlawn Nature Center. It's costly to provide for animals and keep a nature center running. Donations are always appreciated. Thank you! 

It’s easy to get caught up in a buying frenzy during the holiday season; however, the holidays can intentionally be a good time to connect with nature, togetherness, and goodwill. Nature experiences can be a perfect gift that will continue to build memories long after the presents are unwrapped. Here are a variety of nature related gift ideas we enjoy:

• Gift of Memberships—Several area attractions offer memberships. We enjoy memberships as they allow us to stop by for a short time or a long stroll. A state park pass, membership to Woodlawn Nature Center or Wellfield Botanical Gardens, or season pass to Ox Bow County Park could be just perfect. Gifting classes, such as nature preschool at Woodlawn Nature Center, is another great idea. Gift certificates for the toboggan run at Pokagon State Park are also fun.
  
  

Under the Snow: A Book Review

I am always on the lookout for good books about animals in winter, as it's a favorite topic to teach about! I found Under the Snow at our local library in Bristol. Please don't check it out in December-February, because I think I will need it! :-)

I've read several other books on the topic that have potential; however, they often fall short. This book delivered in important elements for me!

Winter Scavenger Hunt!

It's so great to see the tower at Ox Bow Park done! It looks like it's closed in this slippery weather, but will be fun to explore once all this snow and ice melt. We recently went on a Winter Scavenger hunt through Elkhart County Parks. We had a Bingo sheet we marked off as we hiked. It was fun to keep our eyes open for specific things!

We also stopped at various places along the trail and were given a few pictures that we needed to match up with the terrain. Some were a little difficult as things look different from 2-D to 3-D. We worked in teams to investigate and find the right spots! We also found these curious little tracks. It looks like it is from a small mammal with a tail. There is a hole through the snow nearby, so it may very well have gone under the snow where it is warmer. Krista, the naturalist, guided us to observe, but didn't tell us exactly what it is. It's most likely some type of mouse?

There were many people on the hike, tromping through the snow. We had just come from inner tubing, so had on boots, snow pants, etc. I actually was getting a little hot! It was sunny and there was no wind--perfect for winter explorations. I always say to get outside on these days--drop everything else! I thought this jumble of trees had interesting textures and lines.

We matched things ups a few different places along the way, finding tracks, playing in the snow, and observing how animals interact with their environment. To the right, you can see a line of small holes drilled, where the yellow bellied sapsucker had been drilling.

Snowballs were fun! Actually, just playing in the snow was wonderful! I sat down on some of the banks of snow--comfy and easy to fall right back into the snow. At the end there was another scavenger hunt, with clues tied to various places nearby. This really motivated the children to dash to the next spot! We had a three for--three scavengers for one price of free! Thanks, Krista! The children deciphered the clues to find the next clue. At the end, there were books related to nature as prizes, with most groups getting a book to take home. An added bonus!

I was on a date with my 5-year-old. We stopped by for an ice cream on the way home and read our book while we had a little one-on-one time together. The books i just a lovely little compilation of trees. 

My Favorite Tree: Terrific Trees of North America (Sharing Nature With Children Book) (affiliate link)

We looked at various trees. He really has gotten to know many through his interaction outside and observing as we go. In the picture below, we found the heart shaped Redbud leaves and he made a heart too. Cute! Thanks for another great program, Krista and Elkhart County Parks! See some of our other adventures there at the link above.

Inner Tubes and Disc Golf

What a gorgeous day not too long ago. We knew we had to get outside of the house and the boys had an inner tubing date with the Pay It Forward 4-H Club. The group has great leaders. They typically do service projects and learn how to help in their community, yet this weekend they were taking the kids inner tubing for a fun afternoon! 

To inner tube at Ferrettie Baugo, you pay an entrance fee at the gate (currently $4/car for in county or $5/car for out of county). It is just over the line into St. Joseph County Parks. Pay for tubing at the front gate, too, getting a tag to give permission and access to the tubing hill. I asked about the lower age and the gate attendant told me 3, so we did not get a pass for our youngest, who is only 2. Our tag said it's not recommended for under 3. While he was interested, I was happy taking turns entertaining him on the sidelines. It was great to be outside for a longer time. 

Movies, Shovels, and Snow!

I recently had our boys watch Snowmen (affiliate link) after I really liked watching it. I thought it was a really good movie, though be aware that it deals with death, bullying, and other issues. Basically, a boy and his friends make snow tunnels near their house and discover a dead body. They get on the news for it and become better friends. One of the boys has recovered from cancer and still thinks he is going to die. He actually tells us early in the movie that he will die. He wants to do something inspiring before he dies and coordinates the building of record number of snowmen in his community. I will say I cried pretty hard during part of the movie, but also was left with hope and inspiration to be a cause for good in my community and a renewed sense of friendship. In the movie, the boys build snow caves and men, ice skate, sled, and spend a lot of time outside during the winter. Our oldest son is 10, so he's needing more "adventurous" type movies that still model good values and shows how people deal with problems. This fit perfectly for him.

So, guess what my boys are doing now? Building their own snow caves! We had about 1 1/2 feet of snow last week and it's piling up where we (okay, husband and the boys) have shoveled the driveway. It's getting pretty tall. My oldest will sometimes grumble a bit when I say he needs to spend some time outside before using technology. Right now, he gladly agrees and works on his own snow cave, like in the movie!

The boys have been working together. We have a variety of shovels that we leave on the front porch. Having tools accessible makes it easier for them to be used, as well as more likely to be used. They dig and dig and dig some more! They've been working on this for days!

I'll have to say that while we limit technology to some degree (I did just say SOME), there can be power in watching inspirational shows that model certain behaviors with our kids. While the whole family loves Master Chef, Jr., the 5 and 8-year-old boys are asking to make eggs every single day after school. We talk about plating, seasoning, and more! It's neat to see their interest in cooking through watching these great chefs near their ages on television. 

Just like Master Chef, Jr. has been an inspiration for our boys, the movie Snowmen (affiliate) has been an inspiration for our oldest son. He is inspired to get outside more! He has been building and playing in the snow more than he had in the past. My husband remembers Snow Day (affiliate link) as another movie that encourages kids to get outside during the winter. The Winter Olympics usually inspires us to get outside as well. 

So, do movies, television, and technology inspire your nature play? Technology seems like it will be a part of lives. Can we use it to help people get outside more? What movies inspire your families to get outside? 

Shared with Outdoor Play Party. Fun things happening outdoors there! 

Snow! Bring It Inside!

It's been super chilly (negative temps!) and takes a bit more to stay warm outside. We started bringing the snow INSIDE for play. It started with my youngest playing with animals in the sink with a little water. Almost like he had his own little pond. I like the little glass pebbles as another "loose part" option. Some sticks would be great as well!

A little later, I got him a bowl of snow from outside. It was nice to put it in the sink and not worry about all the water everywhere. The animals liked the snow! I think my guy tried to see how many he could fit in the bowl, which is typical 2-year-old behavior, dumping and pouring it all out. We added an eye dropper to the mix as well.

As I watch him play, I see categorizing, sorting, estimating (will this fit in there), fine motor skills, animal recognition, inquiry building, cause/effect, and more! 

Eventually the snow melted with the addition of the water and from being inside. That's when the bowl became a mountain! 

I tell you, this has been a favorite activity ALL week long! I also shared what we were doing on social media and friends shared they were doing it as well. It's great to see good ideas spread and how we can be an example for nature play. We brought this idea into a local nature center this morning with all our kids (no school due to the weather) and all the boys (ages 10-2) were playing in our big tub of snow with our beaker, dropper, animals, and little pebbles. They had their own unique options, such as making snowballs, turning the snow into an ice chunk, hypothesizing about how long the snow would take to melt, and more. A simple play option can turn into great science inquiry and exploration. Love following their lead!

My tip: 

With the extremely cold weather sometimes, it may be difficult to spend much time outside in the snow. Try bringing the snow inside for nature play time! Use a bowl in the sink or a plastic tub on the table. Give the child spoons, droppers, salt, food coloring, plastic animals, etc. to explore.

First Day Hike at Potato Creek State Park

A few years ago, we started the tradition of going on a First Day hike, starting at Pokagon State Park, going to a nature preserve near our house, and then going to Potato Creek State Park for 2015. It's a great way to commit to getting outside as the new year begins. While waiting for the hike to start, we explored the small nature center for a bit, looking at tracks and guessing what all the items were in the touch box.

We also took a quiz about woodpeckers, trying to match the names and descriptions with the pictures of the birds. There were a few boards set up like this where the information could be changed. We've been here a few times before. I appreciate that they change the various displays to have fresh content. 

When it was time for the hike, we gathered outside with winter nature hike BINGO cards in tow. The cardboard and paperclip helped hold the papers in place while writing. I met Robert, our guide, at Certified Interpretive Guide training earlier this year. He had us stop to talk about various items as we moved along the trail. There were about 70 people for the hike, which is great!

Down by the lake, we could hear the broken ice near the shore clinking together making music. My mom just posted a video of the ice making noise like this in her backyard as well, so it was neat to hear it for ourselves. We were told about the history, did a little winter tree ID, and found tracks nearby. At each stop, the boys looked around, trying to find the various items on our quest. Our five-year-old was working on his literacy skills as he worked at reading the words. They all had their observation powers on full blast. 

 

Along the hike we were introduced to various behaviors of animals in winter, such as the beaver who likes hanging out in his lodge or modified bank burrow. 

We learned about sassafras and sycamore trees. We even were able to smell the distinct sassafras smell on the twigs.

Along the hike, I met Chuck Golubski. I heard the name Chuck and had seen many pictures shared by Potato Creek. He had a camera with a  big lens, so I figured it might be the same guy. It was neat because he could share where he sees the eagles hanging out. When hiking, talk to the people around you. They'll often share what they like, what they've observed, etc. Chuck takes great pictures. Find his Birding Photography page here or his regular Photography page on Facebook here. 

I met a couple of other families that were out hiking as well. One family was staying in the cabins there. That sounds like it would be fun sometime! Another family home schools and looked like an outdoor family. I enjoyed learning about where they like to find nature in the area as well. They even took a second hike after this First Hike. Way to go outdoor family! 

We found several nuts along the way. My son was especially enthralled by this black walnut. 

Another young boy had quite the stick collection going on. :-) We also found poison ivy along the trail in various places. Watch for the hairs. The naturalist reiterated that we can have a reaction from the vines as well. 

One tree even had rectangular woodpecker holes throughout the tree. Pretty cool! Back at the nature center, we had hot chocolate and cute tree cookies. Robert's mom made them to share with us and even took the time to serve all of us. How sweet! She said they often went to the park as her kids were growing up. It's neat Robert can work there now. 

After the hike, we checked out the beaver and our wingspans. 

There is also a puppet theater, reading nook, and a place to explore seasonal objects. I like how they had a tray for various items with information printed about them. Here my son is exploring and irridescent turkey tail feather.

We checked out the osprey. There are several nests in the park. The migratory birds often return to the same spot each year. We noticed a large nest in a tree as we drove in and Robert told us that it was an osprey nest as well. There are various platforms around the park for nests too. We spent a fair amount of time looking out the wildlife viewing window, too. It's nice that there is a lake in the background. We have known this one as the cardinal window, as there are often lots of cardinals here. We saw up to 8 at one time today, though there were also chickadees, nuthatches, tufted titmouse, bluejays, and more. 

Outside, we stole the spot the "outdoors" family used for taking pictures earlier. The mom said they use it often! 

The park is also really nice as well. It leaves plenty of room for imaginative play! 

I'm glad it was nice enough to play outside for a while! We like having a playground available for after the hike. Combining nature and recreation work well in our family!

I took a couple of the kids that were getting cold back in the nature center. After watching the birds a little longer, the naturalist took the snake out so we were able to touch it and check it out closely. Robert helped us make observations about the snake's behavior we might not have noticed otherwise. 

As we left, I noticed all the farm tools outside. The park does a good job telling its story as it changed from farmland to a state park! Thanks for another great First Day Hike! We look forward to many more hikes this year!