This is a good place to learn about our: Philosophy, FAQ Location and Programming Contact Info       Key information for the current season: Forms and Letters For Parents Gallery         Our Current Information and Activities: Public Programs Open Houses and great tips for family fun in the outdoors

Season's Greetings! Or  Small Moments of Great Wonder A guide for big and little people to explore -together- the universe in their own backyard.              Follow your children.  Together you will learn or relearn how to pay attention; how to kneel down in the grass; how to be idle and blessed; how to stroll through the field (or your backyard); how to lead a wild and precious life (thank you to poet Mary Oliver). We will explore the natural world with your child this summer at The Nature Place and we encourage you and your family to bring nature into your life.   Go out, get to know the world and season immediately around you and connect with your son or daughter in some very special, discovering ways.                   We at The Nature Place have always believed that there is wonder, discovery, fun and connection (with the earth and with our children) in the outdoors, just beyond our doorstep. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says that "the beyond is not what is infinitely remote, but what is nearest at hand." Time and time again I have experienced the concept that what we most need is very close by, readily available to us. And in these stressful times we see a need for parents to: de-stress; get away from cell phones, computers, TV; breathe; be out in nature and reconnect with the earth and its seasons; get a little exercise; be with our children in an organic, simple and meaningful way; to live life 'in the now;' to revitalize our own sense of wonder and to know again what is really important. Our children and nature can certainly help lead us down the right path. The activities to be found within this section can be used as a guideline. They are simple, open-ended, leave room for further exploration, can be done in any amount of time you  have available and, generally, will not mean having to leave your backyard.                    Season's Greetings   is an extraordinary way to bring parent and child  together, in an innovative, 'organic' and simple approach, by suggesting  activities which will  say 'hello' to winter, spring, summer and fall in your own backyard and neighborhood. Instructions: Dress for the weather; go outside for 2 minutes or 2 hours; follow some of our suggestions below; explore; laugh; don't get in the way with too many words, let nature be the guide; don't expect action sequences a la the Nature Channel; think small; go slow; go slow; go slow; take your time, take your time; take your time; open your mind and say "Ah". Results: Will vary, but do expect fun, questions, discoveries, fresh air, a little exercise, a special time together and learning some "cool" things about YOUR world. We're not really going to tell you what you will discover after doing some of these things.  We can take a guess but we really can't be sure.  And if we tell you what to expect you might not look for the unexpected.  Remember, "Open your mind and say 'Ah' means doing and experiencing first.  Who knows, you might even discover something that nobody else knows about or has even thought about! Ice Art Get a cake pan, not too large. Round would be fine, but a heart-shaped pan near Valentine's Day might be appropriate. Bring it outside and fill with about one inch of water. Place in this pan some outdoor treasures - seeds, small pieces of 'beautiful' litter, pieces of weeds, etc. When doing future ice art you might want to think about adding indoor treasures to the pan - small toy, colored yarn, candy, etc. Lastly, put in a piece of strong yarn or string to serve as your ice art hangar. Make sure that the two ends of this hangar are inside the water, on the edge of the pan, and sticking out of the water is the loop formed by this hangar. Let the pan sit outside overnight to freeze. The next day pour some warm water over the bottom of the pan and pop out your art piece. Hang it from a branch so that you may see your creation swaying in the winter winds and shining like stained glass when the sun hits it at just the right angle. Watch over time as it melts and creates new forms.   My Square Foot No, not your real foot, but a piece of your yard! Mark off an area of snow, using rocks or some other markers for the four corners, approximately 1 square foot. Go out every day, or as often as you can, and clean off or scrape the very top layer of snow. Check on this area the next day or even on the same day to observe what may have happened to your square foot - maybe footprints, more snow, ice, litter, old leaves, seeds from the trees above, pieces of bark, etc.   Snow Betting Allowed After a snowstorm and a subsequent thawing, find a remnant or two of snow left on a lawn, next to a tree, a small pile left where it was originally shoveled or plowed. Make a bet with your child when you think it will melt. Check on it on a regular basis.   That Rocks Place a large rock in some undisturbed snow so that most of the rock is above the snow. Wait for sunny days and go out to check on the snow immediately around the rock. Has anything happened? Use rocks of different sizes and place in a pattern, maybe a necklace shape. Check on it after a few sunny days. Is anything happening? Jack Frost Let's see what else he can "touch."  When you are experiencing frosty mornings, the night before place different objects made of different materials and of different shapes outside.  Look at them the next morning.  Are they covered in frost?  Is the frost all over?  Are some more covered or coated than others?  Try in different places the next night. What Was That? Did you ever notice how everyday things, such as a garbage can, will take on a different look after fresh snow falls on them? When you hear the weather prediction for snow, go outdoors just before it comes down and place different objects in a spot or areas where they will be snowed upon. After the storm, go out and see what sculptures the snow has made, using your objects as a base. Did it make the shape you expected? Put a colander outside before a storm; or a pile of rocks; or things in a pattern; or place two things in different locations to see if the final snow shapes come out different.