Celebrating success is a good thing and the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day proved a big cause for celebration. Earth Day at 40: Valuing Wisconsin’s Environmental Traditions, Past, Present and Future, sponsored by the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison, honored Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin native and the founder of Earth Day, and […]
Earth Day at 40: Where do Kids fit in? Read More »
Do technology and nature belong together? After all, isn’t hiking supposed to get us away from machines and technology? That’s what I always thought. However, after our first geo-cache outing, I believe there is a place for geo-caching in the nature curriculum for kids. It’s just a different kind of nature experience. Here are the
Going on a Treasure Hunt: Geo-Caching at Picnic Point Read More »
This is the third installment of reflections from the book: Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv. It makes intuitive sense that kids diagnosed with ADHD would benefit from outdoor activities. I’m glad that Louv’s book is full of research to back this up. In a study done at the
Nature as Tonic for ADHD: Louv Part 3 Read More »
I hope to get back to reading and responding to Louv’s book this week. The Big Burn sidetracked me along with various other projects. I am growing ever more convinced that providing outdoor experiences for kids is one of THE most important things we can do to help them as they grow up. That said,
Sidetracked from Louv… Spring Reflection Read More »
I just finished reading The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt & the Fire that Saved America, by Timothy Egan. It’s the first historical book I couldn’t put down. It’s the riveting story of how Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot invented the radical notion of conservation and masterminded a new agency: the National Forest Service. It’s also the
The Big Burn: Our Outdoor Heritage & Connection to Louv & Creativity Read More »
Last Thursday, was the last of our eight week ski lessons at Blackhawk Ski Club. It was a beautiful sunny day in the 30s. Perfect. Molly, the instructor had the kids go through a series of games. They skied through hula hoops, played red light green light, and picked up candy on the trail while
Cross Country Skiing with Kids: Final Reflection Read More »
I agree with Louv that we are making outdoor play more structured. In my work, all the activities are structured. We hike, we ski and we skate as a group. We are not just letting the kids go off and explore on their own. As a staff member working with other people’s kids, I do
Last child in the woods: Part 2 Read More »
I love to XC ski. I love feeling warm while I’m outside in the winter; I love being outside in beautiful, snowy places; and I love how I feel afterward. For me, it’s a spiritual activity that gives me so much. I learned how to XC ski as an adult and started by skiing on
Giving Back: Cross Country Ski Lessons Read More »
Give kids something unusual to play with and watch what happens. On Friday, I filled up a bunch of spray bottles with colored water, grabbed some bubble wands and bubble juice and went outside with 6 kids. They immediately got creative. Each kid picked a different color and started squirting the snow different colors. Then
Blue, Red and Green Snow: Colorful Outdoor Play Read More »
Small successes with kids need to be celebrated. Yesterday, while picking up kids at Emerson Elementary School (home of the Emerson Eagles no less) for our after school program, the principal, Karen Kepler, pointed out the eagle button she was wearing. “Do you know who gave me this?” she asked. “John?” I asked. Yes, it
Eagle Watching Success Story Read More »
