N is for North and Nature: Themed Activities

 

When I began this post, I thought about focusing on the NORTH. Some of the reasons why follows:

Northern lights:  They have been of interest to me lately. I think chalk or pastel drawings are the best childhood depiction of the northern lights though they pale in comparison to the real life display.

North Pole: Adventures with Santa, escapades to see the reindeer? The North Pole is a classic!

We the North: Go Raptors Go! Naturally we want to create a cheer for our team and also go have fun playing basketball with friends! Who knows? They may be the future of the sport!

True North: A direction that is always true, immovable, unchangeable, dependable. Know it. Be it.  

Northern biomes: These are defined areas of land with specific wildlife. Create a project to learn more about them and all they entail. 

But then I decided that there was another great word to consider, NATURE! There is a wide open smorgasbord of activities that come under the broad topic of Nature. Here are a few to consider:

*Scientific Observation: Create bug houses, bird houses, ant trail jars, homes for snails or worms or caterpillars and then observe their patterns of behaviour and growth. Identify birdcalls, insect types, animal tracks, woodland species and types of trees and plants. Discuss camouflage, life cycles and the forces of water, wind and fire,

*Cooking: Try to cook a meal from foods you find in nature. Identify fish species in the river while fishing for the salmon. Forage for some dandelion roots for a salad as you learn about wild edible plants and search for fresh blueberries from a bush to create a meal from the land. Learn about how these plants and species grow, where they are found and how to ethically source them for your meals.

*Art: Draw animals and flowers, paint the night sky or photograph birds or colour in a rainbow image or make castles of sand as samples of artistic endeavours relating to the natural world. You can also make houses out of twigs, baskets out of reeds, flower bouquets for the table, garlands for the hair, leaf or bark rubbings, forts, pressed flower stationery and chairs from rocks and logs or snow.

*Math: Count the apples growing on a tree. Discuss the patterns of the constellations. Note the angles of mountains. Clock the speed of the wind moving the clouds across the sky. Look for shapes in the sky or on land such as a circular sun, a cylindrical log or a triangular mountain peak. Use shadows to create a compass or a clock to tell time. Categorize items such as rocks and shells that are found while taking a walk along the beach. They can be separated by size, colour, shape, material or natural environment.

*Sensory Skills: Consider the sights, sounds and smells of the day vs. the night in nature. Can you identify a flower by its scent? Can you name an item such as a pinecone, dandelion or seashell by its texture alone? Enjoy the warmth of the sun or the cool of the breeze or the refreshing flow of the water according to which part of nature you are in. Be keen to identify sights and sounds around you.

*Physical Movement: Create an obstacle course from items to challenge your body. Try using a log as a balance beam or a vine as a swing or rocks as stepping stones. Swim in a river. Roll down a hill, Climb a mountain. Go for a hike and simply enjoy the natural world in all its beauty as you pace yourself yet still challenge yourself to keep active while enjoying the world around you.

Acknowledging the beauty of the natural world we live in is a gift for us to enjoy and to share with those around us. The sights and sounds of our northern home richly enhance our everyday life but it helps to make plans to notice it and learn from it intentionally. Try to find a new way to enjoy nature daily and give thanks for the beauty of this precious resource we share with each other.