How do we teach our children about the world around us? In our efforts to ensure that they gain knowledge, do we hasten to sit our children in front of what they must learn, have them draw and label all the parts of it, and then explain at length how such and such part enables […]
An Invitation to Wonder Read More »
After all, what is the chief sign of growing old? Is it not the feeling that we know all there is to be known? It is not years which make people old; it is ruts, and limitation of interests. When we no longer care about anything except our own interests, we are then old, it
Nature Study, The Elixir Of Youth Read More »
As I was browsing through The Magic Catalog of Gutenberg E-Books on my Kindle for Christmas books to download, I came across the name ‘John Muir’. John Muir, 1912, courtesy of Wikipedia I’m embarrassed to say I’ve lived in California for almost twenty years and the only thing I knew about him is that he
We headed to the Fullerton Arboretum this past week for Nature Study. There were orchards with ripening fruit an Ombu tree a shady creek with freshwater clams! and rocks for baby boys to go ‘kerplunk’ and cool water for darling big sisters to dip their baby brothers’ feet in and bamboo shoots to delight little
Fullerton Arboretum Read More »
If you haven’t read the last BOC post I did, you can find it here. Last week we had our Monthly Meeting on the topic of The Book of Centuries and I invited Shannon, a wonderful friend we met through the AO Yahoo groups. She attended one of our meetings a while back – drove
Shannon’s Notebooks and What I’ve Decided for Our Book of Centuries Read More »
Last week we headed to Starr Ranch for a field ecology program on Reptiles and Amphibians and a Nature Hike. We’ve been there in the past for their Song Bird monitoring program and it’s really one of my favorite places in OC. Tucked away in an unnoticeable corner of Dove Canyon, Starr Ranch is owned
I found this article today on a commercial playground manufacturer’s website: New study says playgrounds should stimulate children’s imagination A five-year study in Vancouver, Canada, recently found that children may benefit from playgrounds that feature areas for free and sensory-stimulating play, The Vancouver Sun reports. “We found that outdoor play spaces that contain materials that
Sensory Stimulating Play Read More »
We headed back to an old familiar spot for our nature study this week – Bolsa Chica Wetlands. It’s really amazing to be able to visit the same places over and over throughout the year to see how everything changes with the seasons. So many things were in bloom, it made the whole place look
Early Blooms and Flower Clocks Read More »
Reading stories like the Little House Series, Caddie Woodlawn, Heidi, and Children of the New Forest, it’s difficult not to want to experience nature with our children. To be somewhere wild where there is adventure, beauty, spontaneity and freedom to explore.Spending a few hours outdoors together as a family this past weekend, I couldn’t help