Feeling stuck inside?  Why not bring the outdoors in and explore the exciting world of nature through science, crafts, songs, and stories?  Or take a look through your window, a step into your backyard or onto your balcony, or a stroll through your neighbourhood to discover some signs of the season.

Choosing Your Adventure!

Choose the age grouping that best matches you! 

Early Years and Young Elementary

Middle and Older Elementary

Print and fold to create your birding pocket booklet for Lynde Shores Conservation Area.  How many birds can you identify?  How many of each can you find?  Please remember to only feed the songbirds only seeds and take home your extra seeds, because the birds are amazing at finding everything they need in nature!

HEARING WITH DEER EARS
 

Take a walk around your neighbourhood and look for signs of spring.  Choose somewhere to stop and listen.
 

Make  'deer ears' by cupping your hands behind your ears to help you hear better.  How many different sounds can you hear?  Remove your deer ears and see if you can still hear the same number of sounds.
 

Did you know that deer have excellent hearing and can even turn their ears to hear sounds behind them?  Can you wiggle your ears?  What is your favourite sound?
 

A SNACK FOR YOU AND THE BIRDS

Make a biodegradable bird feeder by cutting an orange in half and eating the inside of the orange with a spoon.  Carve out the remaining bits to create a smooth bowl.  Poke three holes in the sides  around the top, tie a string through each hole and join the strings above the half orange. Fill with bird seed and hang from a tree.

Don't have oranges?  Create a bird feeder by recycling a plastic pop bottle with Ontario EcoSchools. 

Find out how to make a Tangram Puzzle.  What winter nature can you create?

Source: Project Learning Tree

'MY SNAIL' SCAVENGER HUNT

Colour in your snail as you explore your neighbourhood.  What things are too hard to find in the winter?  Why?

THE CATERPILLAR SONG
(Tune: Eensy Weensy Spider)

The eensy weensy caterpillar climbed up on a leaf. (use finger to inch along like a caterpillar)

He spun a cocoon and then he went to sleep (spin hands around each other and lay head down)

While he was sleeping he dreamed that he could fly (wave hands like wings)

When he woke up, he was a butterfly!

Make your own butterfly!

Source: Preschool Powel Packets, preschoolpowolpackets.blogspot.com

TRANSFORMERS

When is your birthday?  Most wild animals have their birthday in the spring!  Some baby animals look very similar to their parents (only cuter), while others are like transformers and go through big changes called metamorphosis. 

What do you think you will look like when you grow up?  Birds, butterflies and frogs all start as eggs. Can you colour, cut out the pictures and place them in order? Ask an adult to help you create a flip book for each animal.   

See if you can match the chicks that are ready to leave their nest with their mothers.

BUZY BEE

Bees help plants make fruit from their flowers by carrying yellow powder called pollen from flower to flower as they search for sweet, tasty nectar.  Most of the native bees in Ontario live by themselves and nest in the ground. 

Some native bees also lay their eggs in hollow plant stems.  Ask an adult to help you make a bee hotel and check out this pollinator poster to see what other animals help spread pollen.  

Source: pollinator.org, pbs.org, 

WHO COOKS FOR YOU?

"Who cooks for you?  Who cooks for you all?" is the call of the Barred Owl.  Did you know owls' eyes are so large that if owls were the same size as people, their eyes would be the size of grapefruits! 

Speaking of fruit, owls don't really have eyeballs, their eyes are pear-shaped so they have to move their whole head if they want to look around. 

Can you make a call like the Barred Owl?  What do you spy with your owl eyes?  
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NATURE WEAVING

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Find a branch that makes a 'V' in your backyard or on a neighbourhood walk. Tie some string around one side of the V to secure it, and wind it across to the side of the V, back and forth to make a loom. Find some yarn, string, long, dried-out grasses and weave them in and out of the string to create a beautiful piece of art! 

Add nature items like leaves, berries, seeds and pieces of bark or seashells you might have brought home from a trip to a beach. Hang it up inside or outside, and add to it as you take future nature walks. 

Remember, only take what is on the ground and unattached items. Don’t pick plant leaves and living items to add. You have four seasons to decorate your branch, so be patient. 

WHAT IS YOUR WINGSPAN?

A bird's wingspan is the measurement of how wide they can stretch their wings.  Stretch your arms as far apart as you can and then have an adult measure (in inches) what your wingspan is.  What bird do you match?  What about other people in your family?

Source: World Migratory Bird Day Resources 2018