Greening Sam and Avery

a break from birds - Cave of the Mounds

We were going to make some bird feeders today and I was also going to share all the books that we have been reading this week but we woke up this morning motivated for a big outing (may have helped that Chris had the day off!). So we packed up a big picnic lunch and headed just under an hour west of Madison to Blue Mounds where Cave of the Mounds is located.

Check out the amazing adventure we had far beneath the Earth!

 
 
 
 
 

I have a bunch more pictures I could have posted but I didn't want to overwhelm you all!  Check out the Facebook page if you are interested in seeing more.

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The Nitty Gritty!

A cave was a bit of a stretch for a three year old and a 18 month old. They kind of understood that we were under the ground, looking at rocks and that we couldn't touch anything because it was very fragile. But all of the rest of the science behind what a cave is and how it is made went way over their heads.

Even though they didn't learn a ton from this trip I still think it was very beneficial and a lot of fun for all of us. They got to see things that they have never seen before and stretched the comfort levels in new and different ways.

I have some advice for parents of little ones that want to try out natural features like this that have guided tours. When you are with a group and have to walk in a line (like we did in the cave going single file the whole time) be at the back. I think this is the best place because then you can walk at your child's pace without holding up anyone else, you can step away from the group if your child becomes too fussy and it is much easier to distract a child with chatting, songs or other things when you are not right up in front by the naturalist/guide. You have to try your best to be respectful of the other guests that are trying to tour as well and just hope that most of them are parents too and understand what you are trying to do.

Some other tips that might help with toddlers and preschoolers on these kinds of tours:

• be sure to bring along water (you never know how long to the next water fountain)
• have them go to the bathroom right before the tour (duh!)
• if the facility has a map of the tour or their park let your child bring that along for them to look at and try to follow along
• if you have a camera that your child can use bring that so they can take pictures to help them remember the tour
• have anything else to suggest?  Please leave me a comment and let me know!

serious hands on

 
We all like hands-on fun. I am even a big fan of feet-in fun! But today was even a bit much for me.

I am all for a good petting zoo. But this guy is not my idea of a cute and cuddly thing that I would want to go and put my hand on!

 
Or this guy.

Or these!

 

I mean even this little guy could take off a hand if he really wanted to!

 
It is all of those thoughts that made me know we had to get to this exhibit while we were in town visiting my family. I am a firm believer in not passing on my fears to my children. They will NOT think the second a toe enters the ocean that every animal in there wants to eat them for dinner! Crazy, yes, but that is the actual thought that enters my mind when I get in the ocean.

So we went and "pet" stingrays and sharks today.

 
This is a horrible picture but we spent almost an hour with our hands in this big tank trying to pet the sharks and stingrays. Everyone there, including Avery, got a hand on those sting rays.

I freaked out once when the shark got too close and then had to really go into recovery mode to convince Sam it was okay to put her hand back in the water (oops!). But overall the kids all loved it and I came home with all my fingers.

If you are in the St. Louis, MO area the St. Louis Zoo is a great place to check out!

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I talked about my fear a while back, here. I have been reassured by hundreds of people that it is irrational but it doesn't matter; a fear is a fear. I panic and freak out if something gets too close to me in the water or even if my imagination makes me think that something might be getting too close to me. I hate that I can't fully enjoy some of the things that my husband loves to do because of a fear. I will probably never scuba dive and my husband has logged well over 100 hours under water. 

But what is even more important to me is that my girls do not have this same fear. I try to treat this the same way I do spiders, snakes, darkness or anything else that kids tend to have a fear of. Get them educated, experienced and comfortable with it so they can't be afraid.

When I first saw a billboard advertising the stingray/shark exhibit at the St. Louis Zoo I knew it was something I had to take the girls to see. I didn't even know there would be petting involved, I just thought we would be able to see sharks and other marine life up close. That alone would be terrifying for me! Because I have a fear of these things I work extra hard to appear to my girls that I am not afraid.

Sam was a bit hesitant at first and gradually worked up the courage to really put her hand in and feel the stingrays. When I got startled by one of the sharks and screamed she got really scared. I focused on her after that, trying my best to set aside my own fear for her sake. I asked her to show me how we were suppose to put our hand in. Asked her to demonstrate. Asked her if she could be brave and do it first so I could watch. Asked her to be the leader. I appealed to her need to be the "big girl". I used every trick up my mommy/educator sleeve to encourage and support her to be brave. It worked and she was able to pet them again. I truly hope that they can enjoy and love the ocean in a way that I have never been able to.

 

field trip - butterfly exhibit

This was our second year in a row to go to the Olbrich Botanical Garden butterfly exhibit. Last year Avery was still pretty little and stayed in the carrier the whole time (probably a sleep!) so it was neat to see her reacting to the butterflies and trying to find them.

I let the girls lead the way this year (who am I kidding they just weren't listening to me at all and were really going where ever they wanted to anyway!) and we did laps all over the conservatory.

Okay, that was a lot of pictures! But I just loved those butterflies. Just like last year Sam's favorite part was the laminated card they gave out for you to be able to identify the butterflies. BUT unlike last year she could really match up the butterflies. She was able to notice the details and the small differences between the pictures.

It was a great morning outing!

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The Nitty Gritty!

I probably don't need to stress again my love of public events like this and as parents utilizing them to help support/add to what you are learning at home. Since we have a caterpillar growing at home and have been learning a lot about bugs lately this was a perfect fit for both of the girls!

For parents I would strongly encourage you to check the calendars of places like gardens, nature centers, zoos, etc. to see what annual public programs they have. Then if you do all of your education or even some of it at home you can match up what you are learning about to what is going on in the area. Or even if you don't do any formal education at home these programs are still great chances for your kids to learn while having a ton of fun!

For educators events like this may offer discounts for daycare centers, camps or schools to bring groups. Exhibits like this are great field trips and fairly easy to do with large groups of kids.

Day 317: rainy day field trip

When you can't go to the zoo, or parks, or play in the backyard it is great to have a local children's museum to go to. You all know that the girls and I frequent the Madison Children's Museum so seeing what other areas have to offer is always a treat. We are in Bloomington, IL this weekend and there is a great children's museum in that town. The Children's Discovery Museum has a ton of activities, games, stations and play opportunties for both of the girls. We painted, climbed, ran, dressed up, built, shopped in a farmer's market, played music, milked cows, drove tractors, and much more. Unfortunately most of the "green" activities are a bit advanced for the girls but I think it is great they have activities and exhibits for kids of so many ages.

Here are some of the green features and some shots of the girls from today's visit!

 

 

 

 
Inside the Rubbish tunnel was too dark for pictures. But it is basically an inside look at a landfill. Lots of facts, old things to look at, things to touch and explore; pretty amazing!

 
It was a great way to spend a rainy morning!

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The Nitty Gritty!

Visiting with four generations of family this evening so I am out of here! Guest blogger coming tomorrow that I am super excited about!! Be sure to stop by and give her some comment love.

Day 315: field trip - meeting henry

We headed to the zoo today. It is our first trip there since we "be-friended" henry. Sam was so excited to get to see her friend Henry the lion. We contained her excitement for a while and then headed to the lion enclosure. I also knew that Henry and his "wife" (as I was refering to the female lion) had welcomed a new baby cub recently, so I was really excited to see what Sam would think of all the lions!

 
We could see them much closer from a glassed-in viewing area but my pictures weren't turning out from behind the glass so I had to take the picture from further away, and of course the cub was hiding at that point! When Sam first walked up to the lion area she ran over to the window and yelled "HI HENRY!".

We did see other animals too.

 
 
 
And we had a great time showing off one of our favorite spots to Sam's friends!

 

Free zoos like ours are amazing! We try to go as often as we can and make donations when we can. It is a great resource for parents, schools and camps to utilize.

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The Nitty Gritty!

One feature about zoos that often gets over looked is the green space, the picnic opportunities, the ponds and beautiful flowers/gardens. Our zoo even has a great organic example garden that shows lots of different veggies and fruits being grown. If you have a free zoo and are there quite often like we are you may try taking a closer look at some of these features the next time you go. Plan a color or flower scavenger hunt to accompany your trip to the zoo, pack a picnic or just simple point out interesting plants or water features that your little one may not have noticed before.

Another quick note...there were quite a few field trips going on at our zoo today. I noticed a lot of very excited and high energy kids. With parents that were standing at the back, chatting to each other, on their phones or just being quiet. I started thinking, "is that the kind of field trip parent I would be?" and "is that what kids want their parents to do?", and "what about the teachers, do they want the parents to stay in the background or be front and center experiencing this with their kids?" I have no idea what the answers to these questions might be. I expect that it depends on the age of the child, type of child, type of school and type of field trip. But I hope that I will be a bit more actively involved and that Sam and Avery will want me to be more actively involved.

Outdoor Play Link Up is coming at you in the morning! Hope you will all stop by and share your ways of playing outdoors.  

Day 267: children's museum again

We went back to the Madison Children's Museum again today. We have been there several times before with friends and out of town family. Sam and Avery both love it.

Even though the crowds were awful today we still had a really great time. Avery is becoming much more of a challenge though. She is all over the place but of course not quite able to do or wanting to do the same things as Sam. This makes it a challenge to do by myself. But we made it work. And discovered some new things while we were at it!

This doesn't really have anything to do with nature or being green but it was just too funny. Avery discovered her love of brooms! She walked around with these things for a long time.

 

 
And this one was just too cute!

 
Okay, now on to our nature related discoveries from today!

This place is full of mosaics and pictures. With a little bit of encouragement and guidance from me, Sam had fun hunting for animals.

 
 

 

But the big hit from today was that the rooftop was open (which it hasn't been the last few times because it was winter!).

 
 
 
Sam was convinced that these chickens NEEDED to eat their apple pieces. Poor things. Eventually I convinced her that they must not be hungry.

Love going to places we have been before and finding new things we haven't seen. Although places like children's museums don't seem to ever run out of entertainment no matter how many times we go.

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The Nitty Gritty!

A lot of our field trips, activities and outdoor experiences right now involve a lot of observing, noticing and pointing out of things. This seems like such a simple idea but Sam at three years old already seems to slow down and notice more things than most kids do. She will see a bird at the top of a tree, a creek as we drive by, neat looking clouds, a pretty flower or a seed on the ground. Her eyes are open when she is outside and even when she is inside. My dad use to work with me on "seeing", that is what he called it, it's just being observant.  Growing up, when we would spot something on a trail or from the car my dad would say "good eyes!". Doesn't really make much sense when I really think about it but it is the best way to acknowledge and encourage in that situation. I use the same phrase with Sam.

With children having fast paced images flashed at them all the time and in school being forced to learn at a very fast pace their little minds get use to processing things quickly. More quickly than they should. Training them to slow down, notice the small things and learn to really observe can help them be able to focus even better when things are moving faster.

Okay, enough education theory babble.

I was super excited to see the chickens and other birds that Sam and Avery got to check out. Their exposure to farm animals is quite limited. I would love to find a local, working farm, with big animals that they could see. I just think Sam would really enjoy seeing where cows and horses eat, sleep and spend their days.

I also wanted to pass along this great challenge that is going on at my friend's blog - Nature Trails and Nature Tales. She is helping to motivate me to really think about topics and activities that I want to do with the girls this spring. I am hoping to join in the challenge and get back to doing more structured activities! Check it out and join in!

Day 240: field trip - zoo in winter

13 degrees. Starting to snow. Sounds like a PERFECT day to go to the Henry Vilas Zoo!

Okay maybe not. But we did and had a pretty good time. Did we see lions and tigers and bears (oh my!)? Nope. We saw turtles, snakes, lizards, a river otter, sheep, bats, fish, seals, alligators, bison, a tarantula and even cockroaches! Sam loved racing around the almost empty zoo trying to find the few animals that were moving around. And the buildings that were open were warm, full of things to look at and lots of animals to see. Avery was enthralled with a turtle that was swimming around. The water was right at her eye level and she just stood their starring at it for a long time.

Of course the camera was left at home (again). Is it hard for any other moms to always remember everything? I seem to be always forgetting something; in winter the list of necessary items is just so long!

Had a great morning! How are you spending this snowy (at least for us!) Saturday?

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The Nitty Gritty!

Okay, I wrote the above portion much earlier today and then got distracted and didn't get back to the computer until late tonight. Gotta love writing these things at several points throughout the day!

Anyway, there are some good reasons to visit the zoo during the winter. Less people! If you are not a fan of crowds but still want to see the popular places in town try visiting them during the "off"season. For indoor places, like children's museums and bounce-house type places that would be in the summer and for zoos and parks that would be in the winter. Yes there are a few less animals to see but with significantly less people your view of the ones that are there will be better.

For the zoos that aren't free (unlike ours, YEAH Madison!) they may have cheaper rates during the off season or run specials on some of their "extra" things like trains, carousels or food. 

When you go to places like the zoo during the off season you just have to be prepared to make a much bigger deal out of the things that you do see. A tarantula suddenly has to become as cool as a lion once was. It may be more taxing on the parent but worth it if you just need to get out of the house!   

Day 239: field trip - animart

When is the last time you were at a pet store? Not a giant, chain type pet store, but a local, family owned, sells all kinds of animals kind of pet store? I don't think I had ever been in one, not until today.

Sam and I needed to pick up small aquarium nets (to be explained later) so I looked into pet stores in Madison. This store jumped out at me because they host classes, preschool story times and said they had a wide variety of animals. I was intrigued; story time at a pet store, really?

So we went. We found the nets (yeah!) and got to see a lot of cool animals. (sorry the camera took a break today)

BUT if you are like me these places (even zoos) make me a little sad and weary because I always wonder how the animals are obtained. Am I supporting illegal practices or cruelty to animals by purchasing something? How far do these animals have to travel and be stressed before they make it to the store? I always wonder but never ask. Today, I got the nerve and asked!

Animart is a LOCAL pet store. All their puppies and kittens come from rescue services, breeders or adoption agencies within the Madison area! I got a chance to actually talk in depth with the "bird guy" who told me all about how he obtains each of his birds. It was fascinating. I did not know there are bird breeders. Again they use very local breeders, except animals that need rescueing or come from animal rescue socities. I thought this was great. He was actually a bit embarrassed to admit that a few of his birds that he had at the time were from somewhere in Minnesota (he told me where exactly but I don't remember), that is not even that far away. I was very impressed.

Anyway, we had a great time checking out the two puppies they had, lots of small fun colored birds, lots of fish, snakes, turtles, frogs, crabs and lizards. Sam and Avery both loved it. I don't know that I have seen Avery get so excited she refused to sit in the cart but instead kept demanding to be lifted up to see what was in the aquariums and cages. I loved it.

Not a field trip we will probably do very often because I am a softy and those puppies were really cute. I don't want another pet in this house but if we go there too many more times I just know I will end up bringing something home!

But a great time was had today to avoid the cold and still get out of the house!

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The Nitty Gritty!

So what did we need those nets for? Well, you can't have a pond birthday party and not give out small aquarium nets as a part of the gift bag for all the guests! Yes that is right, Sam is having a pond themed birthday party and each child will get to take their own pond net home (along with a few other things I have yet to find).

Sam was so excited we had to buy a big one for her to try out right away. But of course what does a child with a big net want to do when she gets home? Go to the creek and go fishing! We got home from the store and she was determined to catch a fish in the creek. I didn't have the heart to discourage her so we went. She got cold and disappointed after only a few minutes. But I was glad to see her trying and assurred her we would try again when it got warmer outside. I cannot wait for the first time she actually catches something on her own this year! That excitement will be amazing!!

Day 236: field trip - public program - wonder bugs

I failed. I hate when I am too tired, too impatient and too fed up with my kids to even enjoy a great outing.

There were songs, fun activities, parents to talk to and lots to learn.

But all I could focus on was how Avery was being too loud.

How Sam wouldn't stay with the group on the hike and was more interested in making snow angles and eating the snow.

Avery wouldn't stay put and kept running into the area of the room/building that was under construction.

It was all just too much for me today. Most days outings are the exact thing to snap me out of a funk, bring back my patience and rejuvenate my spirit but today I failed.

Sam and Avery still had a great time but I left the program feeling horrible and even more tired.

As moms do you ever have times where even your favorite activities can't seem to turn a bad day around?

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The Nitty Gritty!

This was the fourth Wonder Bugs program that we have attended at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center. They continue to surprise and amaze me!

To hear more about what we did today and get some great resources on owls visit the nature center's blog!  I believe the Wonder Bugs post should be up on their blog sometime tomorrow.

Thanks Tara for another great day. Hope you didn't notice too much how little energy or focus we all had!

Day 222: field trip - aldo leopold nature center

Too cold out to leave the house. NO motivation to even get out of my pajamas. BUT we had signed up for another preschool program at the nature center so we had a reason we HAD to leave the house. Yes, there were tears, whining, and crying. The girls were pretty crabby too.

But once we got there and started class we all had a great time and were glad we had left the house.

Today's lesson was all about birds.

Not sure what you are looking at (above or below)? Ms. Tara taught the kids about how birds have gizzards that help them to digest their food. So the kids got to make their own gizzards to see how they worked at crushing up the food. They mixed sand, small rocks, fruit pieces and seeds in their plastic bags and then rubbed them around.

They made binnoculars out of toilet paper tubes (you know me, I love anything out of toilet paper tubes!) to take outside with them to help them look for birds.

 

And then there was a bird themed snack! Love that these programs have snacks that fit with the theme, so smart.

Berries, worms and food that had been through the gizzard already (which was brown rice with coconut milk and fruit mixed in).

Even though we do a lot of birding at home, with activities, observations and books it is always good to learn about them in another setting. Sam loved the program and had a lot to tell her dad at the end of the day!

So glad we made it out of our pajamas today!

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The Nitty Gritty!

One thing that I have not mentioned before that I am LOVING about the nature center's preschool programs is that they offer sleds to the parents! When we go outside for the hike portion they make sleds available to the parents for younger siblings or the preschoolers themselves incase they get tired and can't keep up. SO smart! Walking in the snow can be very difficult for little ones and this allows them to still be a part of the program.

 

Also wanted to mention that I am about to join in on a Green Mama Blog Hop! It is probably above this post already (if not check back in a few minutes! ha!). I am super excited to be a part of this and hope that you will join in or consider visiting some of the other green mamas. And did you see that I added Google Friend Connect. I know it is silly but I would love to have a few more "followers"!