Blog
Damp Day Delight: Stone tools and why I hate to cancel trips
I hate to cancel hikes just because it’s raining. So, on Saturday, November 12, we left for our hike to Blue Mound State Park despite
Haunted Hayride: The Joy of Fright
Kids love a good scare, especially a fun scare. We all got our screams out on Saturday night when 30 kids – yes 30 kids
Prairie Humor: Joke reveals African-American history
Q: What kind of tree has no money? A: A Burr Oak. (say it out loud if you don’t get it.) I learned this joke
Bubble bubble toil and trouble: Dealing with fear
With Halloween right around the corner, it’s important to remember that nature can be scary for kids. The heart of the Pheasant Branch Creek Nature
Farming: When Getting Kids Outside Was a Way of Life
Old Fashioned Threshing at the Rock County Thresheree Talk about getting kids outside. For farm kids, being outside is a way of life. I was
Hot, Hot and Hotter: What to do when it’s too hot to go outside!
It’s hot and no one in child care goes outside in this kind of heat. It’s just not safe. Q: So, what do you do
Bubble Art: Creative & Colorful Fun for all Ages
Bubble art takes many forms. More than I could imagine. So I learned on Saturday, July 31 when more than 25 kids, parents and adults
The Beach: Engineer and Artist Training Ground
Next time you’re at the beach, notice the kids digging in the sand. Very likely, these kids are the next generation of engineers, geologists, road
Devil’s Lake: Danger, Turkey Vultures & 2 Billion Year Old Rocks
Devil’s Lake is beautiful, but it can also be dangerous. So, it was with a healthy dose of caution that I took 9 kids on
Insect Safari with Kindergarten and 1st graders: Notes and Tips
Friday we had insect club with 15 Kindergarten and first graders. The plan was to have the kids dig pitfall traps and then hunt for
First Insect — First Day of Summer Camp
Today, Louis found the first insect of the summer. I’m not sure what it is, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is his interest.
Bubble Party: Tips for Bubbling with a lot of Kids
We do lots of bubbling during warm weather. Here are some tips for hours of happy, bubbling fun with lots of kids. These guidelines use
Lippy Kids: How to react in a positive way
Lippy kids bug me. When a kid is defiant, my face tenses up. My voice tightens. My whole body stiffens. I want to push back.
Gearing up for Summer Fun!
School’s almost out for summer. That means Summer Camp is just around the corner. At Goodman Community Center, we offer a 10 week program of
One minute of silence: Listening to the birds at the Arboretum
Q: How do you teach kids the art of listening? A: One minute at a time. While hiking today at the Arboretum with 10 kids,
Conservation Giant: Bud Jordahl dies at 83
Bud Jordahl died May 11, 2010. He was my teacher in grad school. He’s one of those teachers that you remember for a lifetime. He
Reading, Bubbles & Sidewalk Chalk
Today feels like summer. The sun shines warm. The wind blows hot. And the sky is deep blue. So, it makes sense to do summer
Tips for Simple Outdoor Fun
It’s spring and it’s time to get kids outside to enjoy the nice weather. There are countless ways to do this, but where to start?
Zero Voice: Making it quiet on the trail
Kids are loud. I don’t always want to hush them up, especially when outside. On the other had, if they miss the sounds of the
Crazy Hair and Trash pickup on Earth Day 2010
I have never seen such enthusiasm for picking of trash. Armed with bags and gloves, I watched 13 Kindergarten and first grade kids pick up
Earth Day at 40: Where do Kids fit in?
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
Going on a Treasure Hunt: Geo-Caching at Picnic Point
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,
Nature as Tonic for ADHD: Louv Part 3
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
Sidetracked from Louv… Spring Reflection
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
The Big Burn: Our Outdoor Heritage & Connection to Louv & Creativity
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
Cross Country Skiing with Kids: Final Reflection
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.
Last child in the woods: Part 2
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
Giving Back: Cross Country Ski Lessons
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
Blue, Red and Green Snow: Colorful Outdoor Play
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
Eagle Watching Success Story
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
Crazy Fun Ice Sledding
What do you get when you take kindergarten and first graders sledding on a very icy hill? Comic relief and crazy fun. The comic
Eagle Watching in Sauk City: January 16, 2010
It’s always inspiring to see bald eagles in their natural habitat. It’s especially inspiring to give kids that experience. Each winter, we have a great
Last child in the woods: Part 1-Nature Deficit Disorder
This is the first installment of my comments about the book: Last child in the woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard
Last child in the woods: Reading Louv’s book
I have finally started to read Richard Louv’s seminal book: Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder (2005). I feel like
Winter Tracks on a Cold Day
It’s important to get outside even on cold days. Teaching kids how to dress for cold weather is a great skill to have. Too many
Sledding, Nose Bleeds and knowing when it’s time to go
Sledding is a blast in part because it’s just a little bit dangerous. Today, the hill at Olbrich Park was well worn, pock marked and
Frogs in the Spring House & other Tales from Blue Mound State Park
The spring house at Blue Mound State Park is a pre-park relic. All that remains is the 8 x 10 x 4 foot concrete foundation,
“I can’t stay up!” Figure skates prove a better choice for first-time skaters.
I love to skate and got to share this passion with kids at Hartmeyer Ice Arena last week. Me and two other teachers had 14 kids
The Polar Express: Creative Play at Lake Farm Park
What do you call a fishing pier that’s on land for the winter? The Polar Express, a ship, and a ferry. On a trip to Lake Farm Park, I thought that most of the Kindergarten and first graders would have rushed to the water. But, they didn’t. Instead, they immediately jumped on a massive pier, in three pieces, now setting on land for the winter.
Halloween Hike: Snapping Turtle & Garter Snake
Kids discover a snapping turtle and garter snake at Cherokee Marsh on warm, windy and wet October day. By Diane Schwartz, October 31, 2009.
The Wonder of a Water Pump
I never know what kids will discover while outside. On a recent trip to Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area, the kids were fascinated by a
Where is Your Coat?
We’ve had a cold October in Wisconsin. Last weekend it was about 40 degrees at the start of our hike to Parfrey’s Glen Natural Area.
Leaf Safari
It’s fall and no matter how many times I’ve done this, it’s still exciting to take kids on a leaf safari. On a glorious October
Bugs & Slugs: Insect Adventure
What do you get when you cross 11 school age boys with insect exploration? Lots of high energy insect fun. Bugs and Slugs marked my
Bubble Trouble
Kids love bubbles. They love making them, popping them and watching them. That’s why for the past three months, I have tried just about every