Tag Archives: nature activities

Retro Fun: Make a Chia Pet

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You remember Chia Pets, don’t you? Wait, you say – what is a Chia Pet? It’s a loveable little terracotta animal that sprouts fur from its back, head, and all over. These little guys were the delight of the eighties, and for today’s parents they are a fun and funky blast from the past. Pining for the eighties once again? Never fear. You too can make a chia pet with your child. You don’t need to buy the kits either. How can you create a chia pet? Gather some permeable material that contains fine holes. This might be as fine … Continue reading →

Counting Cricket Chirps and Thunder

When I first heard about being able to tell the temperature by crickets I really thought people were trying to pull my leg. I grew up around plenty of crickets and plenty of high temperatures and had never heard of this. It turns out this chirp counting is not only true, but has been around since 1837. It’s called Dolbear’s Law after the scientist who figured out that the air temperature influenced the rate of cricket chirps. To experiment with this, count the number of cricket chirps in 15 seconds and then add 40. The number that you get will … Continue reading →

Nature Safari

The words nature safari brings to mind the wilds of Africa. However, you can take your family on a nature safari right here at home. All you need to get started is a notebook, a pen and a camera if you have one handy. What kind of nature safari can you take your children on? An amazing one of the world that exists right where they are; you start by taking your supplies and your kidlets and head out the front door. Available in most suburban areas for capture on film are birds, squirrels, rabbits and the occasional groundhog. The … Continue reading →