An Early Spring Scavenger Hunt

We are all aching to spend more time outdoors as the weather starts to warm up and change. Hopefully we can soon ditch the boots and heavy winter jackets for some lighter outdoor wear! While we wait for the days to warm up, it's a great time to take children outdoors to witness the changing season first hand. Birds are out and chirping more often, and many animals are scurrying about, waking up from their winter haze in search of food.

It's a great learning opportunity to go on walks this time of year as nature stars to stir and become more active. We thought a spring scavenger hunt would be a great way to pay attention to the subtler signs of spring that otherwise might be missed. These don't have to be found all in one day, in fact, it would be better to take all of spring to spot everything on the list. Feel free to add or change anything on the list. You can even turn making the list itself into a craft project by getting the children to draw pictures on a poster-board of everything they'd like to spot.

An Early Spring Scavenger Hunt:

• Spot a Butterfly

• Spot 3 Different Kinds of Birds
• Find something naturally RED (flower, ladybug, leaf...)
• Find something naturally PURPLE (flower, butterfly...)
• Find something naturally YELLOW (Flower, plant, butterfly...)
• Spot a Puddle
• Spot Someone Else Enjoying the Weather ( jogging, biking, playing in a park..)
• Spot a Seed (acorn, helicopter, pinecone...)
• Find Some Animal Tracks
• Spot Some Green Grass
• Find a Wiggling Worm
• Spot a Bird's Nest
• Spot Some Buds on a Tree
• Spot a Squirrel or Rabbit
• Hear a Bird Song & Try to Mimic it
• Find Something Smooth & Something Rough
• Spot a Fluffy White Cloud
• Find Some Flowers Budding

We hope you find lots of time to get outside and explore nature using this scavenger hunt as a guide! Happy hunting!

Its Snow Time | 11 Family Activities for a Flurry of Fun

It’s a winter wonderland.  Or at least it will be!  Our first snowfall has already melted away, but we all know that won’t last too long.

Your kids are all set with their own snowsuits, snow mittens and boots – but are you? Invest in your own snow gear and take advantage of these 11 family snow activities that will encourage learning through play, during the most wonderful time of year.  

1. Go Tobogganing.  There’s nothing more fun than this classic winter activity!  Find a safe hill and head out as a family.  This is a great learning opportunity – make sure your children are aware of their surroundings and know how to stay safe.  Once the safety rules are clear, you can encourage exploration.
 
2.  Build a Snowman.  How can you make this classic activity more fun?  Search for different sticks or other nature-based items to dress up your snowman.  You can even incorporate old clothing or food colouring.  

3.  Colour the Snow.  Create colourful sprays using food colouring and water.  Then let imaginations go wild!  Your children will love spraying different colours all over the snow’s blank canvas, leaving trails and “artwork” everywhere.  Our Forest School children loved this activity – see how much fun they had here.

4.  Make a Snow Angel.  Create your own angels and try exploring different depths of snow.  Laying in the snow will also allow your children to explore a new perspective – encourage them to describe what they see.

5.  Make a Snow Sculpture.  Encourage your children to create their own snow masterpiece.  Use hands, shovels, spoons – or any other tools you can think of!  

6.  Build an Igloo.  Explore different shapes as you build your snow blocks, or consider creating a family igloo project that incorporates ice and colour.  Did you see this igloo last year?  What an amazing family project.

7.  Have a Winter Picnic.  Hot chocolate is the perfect addition to any winter activity, so why not plan a fun outdoor picnic?  Check fire regulations to see if you can incorporate a toasty winter campfire.

8.  Go on a Winter Hike.  Take a walk through the forest and explore the seasonal changes. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for animal tracks.

9.  Set Up a Scavenger Hunt.  In your backyard or during your forest walk, you can create an exciting scavenger hunt to find nature-based items such as pine cones or sticks.  Consider incorporating colours, letters and numbers into your hunt.

10.  Check Out Holiday Lights.  You can walk around your neighbourhood or look for municipal light displays like the Barrie Festival of Trees display at Centennial Park.

11.  Do A Good Deed.  Consider shoveling your neighbour’s driveway as a family.  Whether they are on vacation or have difficulties shoveling it themselves, your neighbour will be incredibly grateful and you will be passing along a valuable lesson.

Enjoy your family fun - let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

About Discovery Child Care

Barrie Based Discovery Child Care brings nature into the classroom and takes the classroom into nature, offering an environmentally aware foundation of early learning for children, from infants to school-age. We follow an Emergent Curriculum philosophy which means, your child will be provided with hands-on, play-based learning opportunities that will encourage active exploration, autonomy, choice, problem solving and plain old fun! Your child’s individual interests, abilities and needs will be considered when planning our indoor and outdoor programs. For more information, visit http://www.discoverychid.on.ca

Get Outside Tomorrow for Canada's Longest Day of Play

On June 21st, Canada celebrates 'The Longest Day of Play'. Why not be part of this event and plan a trip to the park or the lake for Friday June 21st. The idea is to encourage families to get outside and have some fun! Here's some information about the Longest Day of Play including a video from the Particpaction website.

"Remember playing as a kid until the streetlight went on? Well it’s time to bring that back. On June 21st Canadians can take advantage of the most daylight hours of the year and celebrate the first annual Longest Day of Play.

On the Longest Day of Play we want all Canadians to head to the park after dinner. Bring a ball, bring your kids and invite all your friends. Might as well bring the dog too! Fill the playgrounds, parks and school fields with those who are out for the sheer love of play.

Celebrate Canada's Longest Day of Play - June 21st 2013

Active play may be fun, but it’s certainly not frivolous. Play allows youth of all ages to try new things, test boundaries and use their imaginations.

In addition to the physical health benefits, active play offers cognitive, emotional and social development benefits. It has been shown to improve and foster motor function, creativity, decision-making, problem-solving and social skills, the ability to control emotions and preschoolers’ speech. And, it’s lots of fun!

Unfortunately, 63% of Canadian kids free time after school and on weekends is spent being sedentary. We need to get our kids moving, and we’ve got plenty of great ideas, tips and information on bringing more play into your children’s lives." source: Participaction.com